


Will You Love Me Now?

by Mokubahv



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, First Impressions, M/M, Minor Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks, Modern Era, Sad Sirius Black, Single Parents, Soulmates, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2019-10-11 17:14:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17451038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mokubahv/pseuds/Mokubahv
Summary: When you meet your soulmate, it's love at first sight - or at least that's what we would like to believe. What happens when your soulmate rejects you based on your appearances alone? MoonStar! Non-Magic AU!





	1. Rough Introductions

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [First Impressions Aren't Always Right](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/451964) by NeonDomino. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a soulmate story, where you have the first words your soulmate says to you written on your arm (and vice-versa). While I personally don't care much for that version of soulmates, it worked the best for the storyline, so I went with it.
> 
> In case you missed it in the summary, this is a Remus/Sirius pairing story, also featuring Alice/Frank as a sub-pairing.
> 
> Non-Magic AU

The concept of soulmates was something that always intrigued Remus Lupin when he was a child. He often fantasized about the day he would finally meet his soulmate, hoping it would be one of those cliché coffee house moments he often saw in those romantic comedies. Or perhaps he would run headfirst into his soulmate while jogging in the park, and they could laugh and reminisce about their meeting when they were gray.

He spent many hours trying to visualize just what his soulmate would look like, inventing several potential personas in his mind. Would they be a tall sporty brunette girl or a chubby boy with a face full of freckles? Would they prefer to stay inside curled up with a good book, or would they be a risk-seeker always looking for that next thrill? Would they enjoy going to every restaurant they find to discover new delicacies, or would they be the sort that prefers home cooking?

Remus always believed that, no matter what this person looked like and no matter what their interests were, he would accept them unconditionally. After all, they are his soulmate and that's what soulmates did.

When Remus turned fifteen, the long-awaited words finally appeared on his arm. The words he intended to commit to memory so he wouldn't miss it when his soulmate spoke to him for the first time after this birthday.

As he read his arm, a scowl quickly appeared on his face. While the words  _did_  make it appear as though he would get that random encounter he'd always dreamt about, it was obvious his soulmate had a foul mouth, and now Remus was stuck with obscenities printed his skin for the rest of his life.

Nonetheless, Remus waited for his soulmate. The days easily turned into months which eventually turned into years. Over time, the novelty of finding his soulmate began to wear out when this mysterious person failed to enter his life. It was unintentional, but he found himself no longer fantasizing about his fateful meeting of souls, and Remus found himself pushing the anticipation he originally felt to the back of his mind.

Because of this, when one of his friends from college began flirting with him, he willingly gave in to her advances. His relationship with Nymphadora was pleasant enough. She was a fun girl with plenty of pizzazz for the both of them. While they both knew they weren't one another's soulmate, Nymphadora was the impatient sort and never saw a point in waiting around. As for Remus, well, he always had those lingering doubts that, while he knew he would be willing to unconditionally accept whoever his soulmate was, who's to say that they would be able to return the favor? Remus was average looking at best, and most people didn't appreciate his know-it-all personality.

Their relationship advanced quickly, and soon he had a wife on his arm with a son on her hip. They moved into a cozy three-bedroom cottage on the outskirts of London, just a few minutes from his parent's house. Everything was perfect in Remus' life; he had a beautiful family, a great home, and a stable career with plenty of opportunities for advancement.

Unfortunately, not all good things last, and shortly after his twenty-fifth birthday tragedy struck the Lupin household. A vicious case of pneumonia took hold of Nymphadora and claimed her life after only ten days.

As much as Remus mourned the loss of his wife, he could only be grateful their son Teddy was still alive and well. He would certainly miss Nymphadora, but he would have died if anything happened to his precious son.

Over the next year, Remus led the role of single father, the wound in his heart mending over time. He pondered if the lack of intense heartache was due to her not being his soulmate. Perhaps if she was, the loss would have been much harder.

He brushed the thought aside, however. He needed to let go of the fantasy of a soulmate. He had heard plenty of stories of soulmates that met later in life and families that were torn apart because of it. No one was willing to take in someone else's child and, even if they were, there would always be strife in the household. Not waiting for your soulmate was generally frowned upon.

It was because of this that Remus had completely given up on the fantasy of living happily ever after with his soulmate whenever this mysterious stranger decided to show up. No matter how much his best friend Alice pestered him about it, he knew that there was no hope.

His soulmate wouldn't be able to accept Teddy. They wouldn't want a man with a small home and a kindergartener underfoot.

Alice shook her head in exasperation, once again brushing Remus' flimsy argument aside. "Remus, you're being ridiculous. It's a  _soulmate_. Whoever they are, they'll love you and accept you with all your flaws. Not that Teddy is a flaw, of course. You know what I mean."

"I can't expect them to just accept everything about me, Alice." Remus took a long drink of tea. He was growing tired of these arguments. Alice was the kind to wait for her soulmate. She had no romantic history to distort her soulmate's view and therefore couldn't understand what it was like to have that burden. "I have a son. What if they expect me to get rid of him? I can't just abandon Teddy like that."

"They won't ask that of you," she insisted, grasping Remus' hand in her own.

He let out a sigh, setting down his empty cup with a clink. "I should be going. I need to pick Teddy up from mum's house before it gets too late."

"Don't think I don't know what you're up to," she said, her blue eyes staring at him sharply. "You're just trying to run away from love."

Remus smirked, shrugging as he stood up from their table in the coffee shop. "You see right through me," he replied sardonically.

Alice shook her head. "Fine, be stubborn."

"I'll see you at work, Alice."

"Yeah," she sighed, pulling her coat on. "But Remus?"

He turned around, his hand resting on the exit door. "Yes?"

"Just – when your soulmate does turn up, give them a chance, yeah?"

Remus frowned, dropping his gaze to the red and brown speckled carpet.

"You can at least try to get to know them, can't you? Even if it's just as friends?"

He chewed on his lip nervously. As he opened his mouth to give a non-committal reply, a pointed cough sounded from nearby. He glanced over to see a group of middle-aged women trying to leave through the door he was currently blocking.

He smiled apologetically at the women before turning back to his friend. "See you later Alice," he said before slipping out the door into the crisp evening spring air.

Alice's pleas were nothing new, and Remus had long grown accustomed to her ludicrous fantasies of true love and romance. If there really was some perfect person out there for him, why hadn't they shown up yet? Why had he been allowed to be with someone else and start a family, only to have her leave him on his own? Certainly a soulmate would have arrived into his life before now to prevent him from having to suffer like that.

Not everyone even gets to meet their soulmate anyway, and perhaps Remus would be one of those unlucky few. While you will always naturally be drawn to the person you are meant to be with, accidents happened all the time that could prematurely claim your soulmate's life, and you would be none the wiser. Perhaps this was the reason it had been so easy for Remus to find love with someone else? Perhaps that was also why he had stopped feeling that exciting anticipation about finding his soulmate?

He nodded to himself, satisfied with the conclusion. That had to be what changed. His soul knew of his soulmate's departure and was trying to help him move on so he wouldn't be miserable. He should be grateful that he didn't have to feel the gut-wrenching ache of losing a soulmate, he supposed. It was better this way.

Remus sighed as he continued the walk to his mother's house. Despite himself, he couldn't help but feel disappointed as he remembered his old anticipation about meeting his soulmate. This was for the best though; he had Teddy to take care of. Teddy was all that mattered now. He needed to move on from these foolish fantasies and just focus on giving his son the love and support that he so desperately needed as he grew up.

As he passed one of the local biker pubs, Remus quickened his pace, making sure to avert his eyes for fear of angering one of the local gangs. While Remus certainly wasn't scared of the clientele, after a few years of passing this way, he had long grown accustomed to the less than pleasant customers that littered this particular establishment. He turned sharply around the corner where he collided with something hard, causing him to topple over, landing most ungracefully on his wrists.

"Fuck! Oh shit, man. My bad."

Remus groaned as he shifted onto his bum, rubbing his wrists gingerly. "No, it's my fault. I should have been watching where I was going." He looked at the man he had stumbled over, taking the offered hand as he lifted himself up.

There was a curious expression in the stranger's gray eyes, and it was then that what the man said clicked.

His own amber eyes narrowed marginally. "Was that – I mean – are you -" He felt at a loss, unsure how to ask the question.

Understanding what Remus was trying to say, the stranger shrugged off his leather jacket one fluid motion, revealing well-defined muscles and several tattoos his tight-fitting sleeveless shirt did nothing to hide. He then offered a clear view of the underside of his left arm where there, as plain as day, were the shimmering navy-blue words, 'No, it's my fault. I should have been watching where I was going.'

Remus gaped at his arm. He had just finished convincing himself that he didn't have a soulmate and now, without reason to doubt, stood a man with his words written on his arm.

"Erm-" the stranger started awkwardly, subtly chewing on his full lower lip in an obviously nervous gesture.

Remus shook his head as he brought himself back to the present. "Right, sorry," he mumbled.

He certainly wasn't going to practically strip on cue as the stranger did, and instead pulled up the left sleeve of his well-worn cranberry cardigan. As he unwound the fabric bandage he used to hide the offending words, he noticed an embarrassed flush grace the stranger's cheeks. Once exposed, he showed his words to the man, 'Fuck! Oh shit, man. My bad.'

After reading Remus' arm, the man's face split into a beautiful grin. The expression was so full of joy it was almost contagious, and Remus struggled to not mirror it, carefully keeping his face as stoic as possible.

The man allowed his eyes to thoroughly rake across Remus' body, causing Remus to stiffen under the intense gaze. He certainly wasn't dressed to impress at all, and now his soulmate was going to turn away and run from his haggardness. His cardigan was faded and fraying at the ends, with several worn down holes that he half-haphazardly stitched together. Remus was wearing loose-fitting camel colored slacks that were anything but flattering and, despite Alice's constant mocking whenever he would wear them, brown strap sandals with a pair of white socks. His tawny hair was unkempt from a hard day of work and he was certain his eyes had heavy purple rings from the lack of sleep his most recent case had brought about.

Despite this, when the stranger's eyes met his own again, his mouth held a wicked grin, and Remus was fairly certain he did not imagine the man licking his lips with a satisfied moan. "Well I appear to have gotten the luck of the draw," he purred, a hungry glint shimmering in those stormy gray eyes. "You've got to be the sexiest man I've ever seen."

Remus felt his mouth go dry at those words. This man had to be joking. There was no way someone like him would find Remus even remotely attractive.

The stranger was a few inches shorter than him, but definitely made up for the smaller stature with a much firmer build than Remus' own. His exquisitely soft-looking raven black hair was tied in a loose ponytail that rested at the nape of his neck. Every feature on his face looked as if he had been sculpted with the finest care; perfectly aristocratic eyebrows, thick eyelashes, straight nose, prominent cheekbones, full kissable lips, and a strong jawline. Were it not for the numerous facial piercings, heavy eyeliner, and plum colored lipstick, this man would not look out of place on the cover of a high fashion magazine.

The man's shirt was emblazoned with the words 'August Burns Red', which, judging by the decorations, was no doubt a heavy metal band of some kind, and it was clear that the stranger had torn the sleeves off the shirt himself. There was a thick twisted chain necklace around his neck, heavy studded bracelets stacked on his right arm, a wrapped leather bracelet on his left, and gaudy over-sized rings on several of his fingers. His black trousers were no doubt two-sizes too small and fit extremely snug, leaving nothing to the imagination and eliciting a rather loud gulp from Remus. He had on black leather boots that came to his mid-calf and were elaborately decorated with multiple unnecessary buckles and studs. Moving his eyes back up, he noticed the man's belt buckle appeared to be a snarling wolf. He peered closer. Yes, definitely a wolf's head. And were those garnets in the eye sockets?

The man's skin had a healthy tan, showing that he spent more time outside than in, and Remus briefly entertained the thought about whether there would be any tan lines on his body. He sincerely doubted there would be. On his right upper arm he could see an image of a stag standing proudly with what appeared to be a rat of all things perched between it's antlers. Below the animals was the word 'Marauders'. Just above the crook of his elbow was a fawn nestled between the legs of a spectral doe that looked like a more recent addition to his tattoo collection. The man's left arm was startlingly empty in comparison, with only the image of a large black dog taking up his left shoulder, it's tail wrapping around his tricep.

Clearly pleased by Remus' thorough evaluation, the man gave a seductive smile as he lifted his leather jacket over his right shoulder casually. "Like what you see?"

"I, uh-" Remus brought his gaze back up to meet the stranger's eyes once more. Breathing suddenly felt more laborious than it should. The man certainly was attractive, but it didn't change the fact that Remus had a blemished history.

"Here I was thinking tonight was a complete bust," the man continued, clearly not needing affirmation to know that Remus did indeed like what he saw. "My bloody contact never showed up," he said with a sigh. "I was about to head home, but decided to have a fag first. I'm glad I chose to linger since you practically fell in my lap."

He chewed on his lip nervously. He knew the moment this man found out about Teddy, he would bolt. Judging by the man's attire, preference of hang-out spots, and vulgar language, he certainly was not the kind to want children. Remus didn't know if he would be able to handle being rejected by his soulmate, so it would be better to stop this now before it went too far.

The stranger took a small step forward, extending a hand for Remus to shake. "My name is Sirius, by the way. Sirius Black."

"Serious Black?" Remus couldn't stop the disbelief in his voice. "What kind of name is Serious?"

Serious threw his head back as he barked a laugh, revealing a tongue piercing much to Remus' dismay. Working in law enforcement, Remus knew all about profiling suspects, and it was usually the ones with multiple piercings and tattoos that were up to no good. There was definitely no way he could afford to associate with someone like Serious without dragging his reputation through the mud. He'd worked hard to get where he is now, and he'd be damned if he let some stranger ruin it for him.

"Not Serious like the word," he laughed. "Sirius like the star. S-I-R-I-U-S." Sirius pointed up at the night sky in illustration. "My family is big on astronomy names. I'm named after the dog-star. Brightest star in the sky." He offered a bright smile that was punctuated with a wink.

"Oh," Remus nodded. That at least made more sense than Serious.

"So, um," Sirius took another small step closer to Remus, decreasing the distance between them to little more than two feet. In the dim light the street lamp offered, Remus could almost make out a slightly nervous expression on the man's face. "What's your name?"

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Me?"

"Of course you," he said as if the question was obvious. "Not only are we alone right now, but isn't it clear I only have eyes for you,  _soulmate_?"

As the word 'soulmate' passed through Sirius' lips, the intimacy in the man's voice sent shivers down Remus' spine, causing him to involuntarily moisten his lips.

"So?" Sirius rose one of his finely trimmed eyebrows expectantly, a soft smile on his lips. "What may I call you?"

This man was hypnotic. Had Remus simply seen him in passing, he wouldn't have spared him a second glance, but now that he had Sirius' undivided attention, he found it hard to look away. It was as if those storm-colored eyes could bore into his soul, taking away all of his insecurities and fill him with emotions he never knew he wanted. If he ever thought he was attracted to Nymphadora, it was nothing compared to just how much he wanted to tell this stranger he could do absolutely whatever he wanted to him.

He opened his mouth to respond, but was stopped as he remembered Teddy. His precious little boy that meant more to him than anything else in the world. He had to think of his son, and a future with this man would not be able to include Teddy. There was absolutely no way a foul-mouthed biker with a penchant for piercings and heavy metal would want anything to do with a five-year-old boy that wasn't even his.

Remus took a step back, shaking his head. "I'm sorry Sirius, but this just isn't going to work."

Confusion was clear on Sirius' face as he tentatively followed Remus' retreat. "What's not gonna work?"

"This," he said, gesturing between them. "Us. Sorry, but I have to go."

Sirius took in a sharp breath, his expression akin to betrayal. "What do you mean?" he whispered, clearly fearing the answer.

He pursed his lips in response, believing it best to leave now before the man was able to change his mind by tugging at his heartstrings. As Remus turned to leave, Sirius grabbed at his wrist and Remus violently shook the other man's hand off, not bothering to look back.

"Wait," Sirius called after him, desperation tinging the voice that had been so confident moments before. "Please don't go."

Remus kept his head down, quickening his departure.

"At least tell me your name!"

He didn't respond, trying to ignore the hurt in Sirius' pleas as he called after him. Remus continued his hasty retreat, somehow managing to arrive at his mother's house in half the time it normally would have taken him.

* * *

**Word Count: 3382**

**Review please!**


	2. Who Is Sirius Black?

Three hours had lapsed before Sirius finally found his way home. Gone were the days when he could allow his anger free reign, and he had to make sure he was calm enough before returning to his small flat. He couldn't let his godson see that side of him; Harry had been through enough already without being given a reason to be afraid of Sirius.

The Black Family temper was infamous; but for Harry's sake, Sirius would control it.

He unlocked the front door, slipped inside the dimly lit room, and set his helmet on the side table along with his house key before shutting the door behind him. After hanging up his leather jacket, he flopped onto the sofa with an over-dramatic grunt, pressing his temples roughly with both hands.

Brisk footsteps sounded from the hall, stopping when they reached the living space. "Oh, there you are Mr. Black," Madame Rosmerta greeted with every ounce of her usual pleasantness. "I was beginning to fear the worst when you didn't show at the time you said you would."

Sirius sighed before running his hands through his raven hair as he looked up at her with tired eyes. "I had an unexpected visitor," he responded vaguely. "Sorry about the delay. I'll see to it that you get a bonus for tonight."

She waved her hand in dismissal. "Oh, don't worry about that. I'm just glad you are alright. You know I always worry about you."

He offered her the best smile he could, which wasn't much considering his current mood.

"Don't you worry about Harry," she said, noticing his desire to be left alone. "I've already tucked him in and he's sound asleep. You just get your rest tonight, Mr. Black, and I'll see you tomorrow evening."

Sirius nodded in recognition before she let herself out, locking the door behind her.

Madame Rosmerta was truly the best blessing the agency could have provided him once he had taken custody of Harry. With her help, he never had to worry about whether Harry was safe while he was away on a mission. She had quickly become an almost permanent fixture in their life and, while Sirius wanted to be a strong parental figure in Harry's life, he knew he couldn't do it on his own. As he had absolutely no one to help him, he had to accept the help that the agency provided in the way of a caretaker for the field agents with small children.

Without Madame Rosmerta, it would be almost impossible for Sirius to continue his job, and bounty hunting was all he knew how to do. He didn't want to do anything else. Yes it was dangerous, but there were times when he would be on the field hunting his target, and it was so easy to imagine James right by his side. For a few moments, he would find himself forgetting his best friend was dead.

There were so many great memories tied up in this job, and he didn't want to lose them. He'd already lost everything else that had ever mattered to him.

He allowed his eyes to shut as he once again replayed the interaction with his soulmate in his mind, seeing if maybe he could figure out where he went wrong. The worst part of the whole debacle was that he had no idea what happened. Why had the man suddenly turn tail and run? Why wouldn't he at least offer his name? Had Sirius somehow offended him? He did tend to put his foot in his own, but replaying their conversation, he couldn't see anything that could have been taken offensively.

Unless of course his soulmate had thought he was being sarcastic when he called him sexy, but only a blind man wouldn't be drawn to him. That soft brown hair with golden flecks was tousled in such a way it appeared he had just crawled out of bed. Those gorgeous amber colored eyes framed by dark eyelashes and rosy cheeks. His thin chapped lips that just begged to be chewed on. Just his face alone was enough to send Sirius over the edge, and the hot nerd look he had going with that faded cardigan and ridiculous sandal and sock combination did nothing to quell his libido. Until tonight, Sirius had no idea he could lust after a man so badly. His soulmate was perfect.

If only he hadn't run away.

Sirius had always had a difficult time trusting people, which was the main reason his circle of friends had been so small. How was he to know he would lose everyone within the span of a single month? When he ran into his soulmate tonight, he had been so excited. The thought of finally having someone again that could truly understand him was such a great elation. The past two years had been practically unbearable on his own. Even though Harry was in his life, he was just a babe and couldn't be the same as a real friend.

Even if his soulmate was simply not romantically available right now, Sirius would have accepted him. It would have been enough if they were just friends.

A hot tear fell from his left eye, splotching his Christian metal tee he purchased from a concert several years ago. James had drug him to the House of Blues in Illinois for the Summer Constellations tour. Sirius had argued that concerts were a waste of money, but his friend would hear nothing of the sort. When he got there, he had been completely blown away. Sirius' mother always insisted that heavy metal was the devil's genre, and the thought of a band able to turn such distorted and violent sounds into worship music brought an ironic glee to his life. It was then that Sirius began scouring record stores, collecting every Christian metal record he could get his hands on simply to spite his over-bearing mother.

The fond memory broke Sirius from the temptation to cry. He had already shed enough tears tonight on his way home, and wasting more tears would make him look like garbage in the morning.

A bright light drew his gaze outside where the full moon was hanging heavy above the townhouses. As he stared at the bright rock, he once again found himself wishing he at least knew his soulmate's name. It was a full moon when they met, and those amber eyes reminded him of the color of the full moon as it would rise along the horizon.

"Moony," he whispered, exhaustion finally claiming his brain. "Your name is Moony."

* * *

 

Remus shook his head as he stared at the reports. There was absolutely nothing about Sirius Black on file for the past eight years. If he hadn't met the man the other night, he would believe he was dead. Remus tried entertaining the thought that perhaps the man he met gave him a false identity, but the photograph in the news article he pulled up looked like a younger, and much more stoic, version of the man he met two nights ago.

_'Orion A. Black and Walburga I. Black are pleased to announce the engagement of their eldest son Sirius O. Black to Alecto P. Carrow.'_

Clearly Sirius had been wed to this Alecto woman the article spoke about. If he was around the same age as Remus, it would seem he was married straight out of secondary school.

Remus tried thinking back on the details from the other night. He remembered Sirius wore several rings, but he didn't believe he saw one on his left ring finger. That could mean that either he backed out of the wedding, is divorced, or widowed. Alternatively, perhaps his lack of a paper trail means he faked his death to get out of a bad marriage?

He dug around for more information, looking into Orion and Walburga, quickly realizing why he had recognized the surname 'Black'. This was definitely a bad family. One of the families he would be sent to investigate had they not used money and underhanded tactics to keep the law away.

Remus frowned, chewing on his lip as he rooted through article after article, a deep feeling of dread creeping into his stomach. He didn't think families like this even still existed anymore. Certainly if families that still behaved like the mafia existed today, he as a police detective should have been aware of their presence, right? From what he was reading, their main hub was in London, too. Only miles from his home.

Why would fate give him a soulmate that would affiliate with drug-dealers and human traffickers? This had to be some kind of twisted joke. Was this punishment for not waiting to meet his soulmate before having a child?

He let out a long breath. Any lingering doubts that he had about shutting the man out ebbed away. Soulmate or not, walking away was definitely the right choice. Having a man like that on his arm would only sully his reputation at the firm.

"What'cha lookin' at?" a perky voice asked from behind him as Alice leaned over his shoulder.

Remus jumped, quickly minimizing the browser on his computer screen. He had been so engrossed in his research, he hadn't heard her slip into his office. "Nothing," he replied too hastily to be believable.

"You were researching the Black Family," she replied in answer to her own question. "Are you working on a case involving them? You know we can't touch them without going through a mountain of forms, right?"

"So you've heard about the Black's?" he rose an eyebrow in surprise.

"Well, yeah. Everyone has."

He stared at her blankly. While he certainly had heard the name a few times, he hadn't known nearly as much about them before this morning as Alice seemed to know.

"Are you kidding me, Remus? How have you not heard of them before? They're only the most powerful family in England!"

He shrugged, a wry smile on his face. "I suppose they just aren't as popular in Wales."

"Oh, right." She paused in her tirade. "I sometimes forget you weren't raised here." Alice settled into a seat beside him. "So why were you looking into them? You didn't have a run in with one of their affiliates, did you?"

"No," Remus replied with a shake of his head. "Not really. I just was curious about their son."

"Their son?"

"Yes, Sirius Black."

"Ah. I haven't heard that name in years." Alice tapped her knee idly. "No one has."

"Do you know what happened to him? The most recent article I could find was a wedding announcement."

She shook her head, blonde hair swaying along to the movement. "Not really. I do know that the wedding never happened, though. There was a big uproar from the Carrow family as they were really trying to get into the Black's good graces. Sirius just up and vanished the day before the wedding."

"Any speculations?" Hear-say was sometimes just as good as a written story, and Remus wasn't about to pass up any information on his supposed soulmate, even if he did have every intention to keep his distance from the man. It would be beneficial, after all, to know if he could be a threat.

"Oh there's plenty. I can't say how much is true, of course."

"Well, indulge me. Out of everything you've heard, what sounds the most likely?"

She pursed her lips as she thought. "I remember hearing a lot of whispers about him being a rebel. While his parents tried to put on a façade that they were a perfect family in public, there were always little tells that were noticeable. It was obvious that Sirius did not see eye-to-eye with his father, the leader of the family. My guess is, once he came of age, he tried to get away from the family business, which consequently led to what happens to any that get on the wrong side of the Black Family."

Remus' eyes widened in disbelief. "You aren't trying to say they had him killed, are you?"

Alice shrugged. "It makes the most sense out of everything I've heard. Someone doesn't just disappear after all. Why isn't there a trail? Even if he changed his identity and ran, there would be a trail. Unless he was working for the MI5 or something, we would be able to find him. It's been almost a decade now and he hasn't turned up. That's got to mean something."

He made a humming noise as he looked back at the photograph of a young Sirius standing beside his fiancé. If he hadn't seen the man himself, he would have been inclined to agree with Alice. How had he managed to stay off the radar for so long?

"Why the sudden interest in Sirius Black?"

Remus jumped, having momentarily forgotten Alice was beside him. He shook his head as he closed the tabs on his computer. "I just heard mention of him is all. We should probably get back to our case, yeah?"

Alice rolled her eyes, but stood up none-the-less. "Sure," she chuckled. "I'll let that excuse slide this time, but you're going to come clean eventually Remus."

* * *

"I'm  _fine_ ," Sirius grumbled into the cellular phone that he had propped between his shoulder and ear. He was quite annoyed at his coworker's insistence on checking up on him every night after he noticed Sirius' tear-strained countenance earlier that week. All he wanted to do was binge watch  _Benji_  while eating as much eight treasure spicy noodle and chocolate éclairs as humanly possible, not talk about his feelings with some guy from work that insisted on becoming his best friend. He already had a best friend. Despite the fact that James wasn't around anymore, that spot would always belong to him. "No, I don't need you to come over."

"Becoming a recluse isn't going to help you get better, Sirius," Frank's voice scolded through the small speaker.

"I don't need to get better. I just need to forget about Moony."

"And gorging on Chinese noodles and French pastries while watching children's movies is how you plan to forget about him? What kind of name is Moony anyway?"

"It's his name because his eyes are like big harvest moons. It's a perfect name for a perfect man."

"It doesn't sound like he's perfect the way he ran off on you."

Sirius glared in the phone's general direction, his gray eyes darkening in irritation. "If you keep insulting my soulmate, I will hang up."

An exasperated sigh crackled through. "That wasn't an insult, mate. Look, I'm just saying that what he did to you was not on. Maybe you got it wrong though? Maybe he isn't your soulmate and you're getting worked up over nothing."

"He  _is_  my soulmate! We said the thing!"

"You may have said the words, but there have been cases where there were two sets of soulmates with the same words. Maybe that happened with you two?"

"No," he argued through a mouth full of custard. "It was him. I know it. I could feel it in my soul."

There was a long pause before Frank spoke again. "Look, I didn't want to say anything because I know you've been down, but I found my soulmate just the other night, too."

Sirius blinked, setting down the takeaway container to pause the screen, momentarily smiling at the expression frozen on Benji's face before recalling what Frank had just said. "You what?"

"I found my soulmate. She's perfect, and awesome, and I want you to meet her."

"Why would you want me to meet her?" He removed the phone from his shoulder, stretching his stiffening neck as he placed the speaker to his other ear.

"Because you're my friend. I want you two to get to know each other so you can be a part of both of our lives."

Sirius shook his head before remembering that Frank couldn't see him. "No, I don't think-"

"Sirius, you can't keep locking yourself up. You're coming out with me this weekend to meet her, alright?"

"I don't care how much you beg me, I'm not going to be a third wheel."

"You won't be. She has a friend that's a bit of a loner, too. From what she's told me about him, it sounds like the two of you will hit it off. So she'll bring her friend and I'll bring you, yeah?"

"I don't know."

"Getting out will be good for you. It'll take your mind off of Moony. Maybe you'll even find some cute guy at the pub to take home?"

Sirius scoffed. "Yeah, I'll bring some stranger home so I can have meaningless sex in the room next to my five-year-old godson. Sounds like I'll get a parent of the year award."

Frank groaned. "Okay, maybe not take him home, but you know what I mean. You need to get out and meet people!"

"No, no. I'm good Frank. I'd rather not-"

"If you don't agree to meet me there, I will paint Snuffles chartreuse."

Sirius' eyes widened. Of all the colors out there, chartreuse was by far the most gaudy. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Are you sure about that? Are you  _absolutely_ sure I won't?"

"You aren't that vindictive," he replied, but the quiver in his voice gave away his uncertainty.

"Do you really want to risk it? I'm pretty sure a chartreuse Harley wouldn't impress anyone. Maybe I should also detail the rims. How does burnt orange sound?"

"Oh, that's disgusting! Why would you even joke about combining those colors?"

"What makes you think I'm joking?"

"Okay, okay," Sirius yielded, shifting the phone to his other ear once more. "I'll meet your bloody soulmate. Just keep your mitts off my bike. Only I'm allowed to touch Snuffles."

"Great. I'll text you the details." Sirius could hear Franks' smile through the phone. Apparently agreeing to meet this woman was really important to his coworker. "Good night, Sirius. Try not to eat too many éclairs, yeah? You can't afford to get fat yet. That comes after marriage."

Sirius didn't bother correcting Frank. The idea of him ever having that happily ever after he always dreamt about was becoming more and more faint. He was barely aware of saying farewell or even hanging up the phone as he stared at the waning moon in the window.

It had only been six days since he met Moony, but it felt like it had been so much longer. The last time he felt a pain like this was when he walked into James and Lily's home to find them butchered by one of those wicked henchmen his parents employ. The fact that losing Moony hurt just as bad as losing his best mate was all the proof he needed that that beautiful man was his soulmate. He was the person he needed to feel complete.

But Moony had rejected him. He walked away without so much as an explanation.

Sirius didn't know when the tears had started. He didn't even realize that he had moved his food to the coffee table to better curl up on the couch. Somehow a blanket was wrapped around him and he was sobbing into his knees, snot and tears pooling in an unattractive fashion.

It was too much. He couldn't take this constant ache that never intended to fade. The way his family and soulmate had completely rejected him was all the proof he needed that he would never be enough. That Sirius was inadequate. Worthless.

No one had ever cared about him as much as James and James' family. They took him in when he had no where else to go. They showed him what a family should be. What unconditional love truly was. For a time, everything was perfect in his life, and Sirius was able to pretend that he was one of them. That his tainted surname didn't have to define who he was.

It was tragic when Harold died from a massive heart attack, Dorea following him shortly after. The doctors claimed she died of a broken heart. As Sirius and James mourned their loss, Lily had found it amusing that Sirius seemed more grieved than James. Coming from a loving home though, she couldn't understand what it felt like for Sirius. The two young men clung to each other for comfort, helping one another to recover from losing the two most important people in their lives.

It was too soon after that Sirius lost James and Lily, as well. Two of the last three pieces of his heart. If it wasn't for Harry, Sirius certainly would have given up on life a long time ago.

When he finally found his soulmate, Sirius had thought that maybe, just maybe this would be his second chance at a family. Sirius and Moony would be able to marry and have a family together. He would have someone to help him raise Harry. They would bicker over stupid things like which television shows to watch, and they could snuggle close at night, keeping each other warm during the winter months. Everything would be perfect.

Unfortunately, happy endings didn't seem to be in the cards for Sirius. He should have stopped dreaming long ago.

"Pops?"

Sirius stilled at the sleepy voice, sniffing back some of the mucus that was trying to spill from his nose.

"What's wrong, Pops?"

He looked up, wiping his face with several tissues as he tried his best to give the young boy a smile. "Nothing's wrong, Harry."

Harry scowled, his green eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Then why crying?"

Sirius shook his head as he took in a ragged, calming breath. He had to be brave for Harry. Harry needed him. No matter how much he felt like his life was falling apart, Harry needed a strong parental figure in his life. He owed it to James, Lily, Harold, and Dorea. He had to put aside his own grievances to give Harry the life he deserved.

"I was just worried that Benji wouldn't find his way home," he said, pointing to the dog that was still frozen on the screen.

"Oh," Harry said, clearly satisfied with that answer. He scratched his head, ruffling his spiky black hair in the process. While the five-year-old got his stunning eyes from his mother, he unfortunately received James' unruly locks.

"You want to watch with me?" Sirius asked, opening up a section of the blanket for his godson.

The boy beamed, clearly enthused about not being sent back to bed. "Yeah!"

As Harry enthusiastically settled in next to Sirius, a soft smile came naturally to him. He wrapped his arm tightly around the boy, ensuring he was snuggled under the blanket before pushing play.

So long as he had Harry, he wasn't alone. He had a family.

True, it was much smaller than he wanted, and a romantic partner would be ideal, but at least he had his godson. He didn't need to feel unwanted or unloved, because Harry wanted and loved him. Having at least one person was better than none.

* * *

  **Word Count: 3916**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed chapter two – please let me know what you think! I definitely enjoy feedback – and who knows? While I do have the story all mapped out, you may just give me an idea that would make the story even better, so feel free to speak up! I know this is still rather a downer, but I promise it will pick up – you'll just have to be patient. This is a rejection story after all, but there will be a happy ending! Pinky Promise!
> 
> Please review!
> 
> The next update should be coming soon – it just needs a bit of fine tuning.


	3. Meeting Old Faces

"Remind me again how you convinced me to go to a bar with you?" Remus scowled across the table where Alice was innocently stirring her long island ice tea with a red straw. It was admittedly one of the more upscale bars that he had seen, but it was still a bar nonetheless, and Alice knew full-well that Remus didn't approve of these types of locations. They attracted the wrong sort and, as officers of the law, it was important to keep their records clean.

She shrugged at him as she took a sip. "Francis said that it was a good place to meet up. It's pretty central for all of us as he lives on the east side, and you're south of here. His mate Alphard lives further west, and I'm just up the road a little. I guess he thought it would save everyone a bit of fuel."

"Except that you still picked me up."

"Well, it's the thought that counts. I didn't exactly tell him about your fear of public transportation and lack of a driver's license."

Remus looked around the bar, taking a closer look at their environment. It was dimly lit by string lights that trimmed the crown moldings and the oil lamps sitting on all the tables. The bar had an industrial vibe with dark wood flooring contrasting nicely with the bare concrete walls. At least twenty high tables with chrome accents and black stools littered the center of the room, while the perimeter was lined with corresponding booths. Near the front doors sat a simply decorated long bar with a dark quartz top and a generous selection of alcohol lining the wall behind. It was a rather cozy location and didn't have an overwhelming beer scent, which promised the guests weren't particularly sloppy.

The room was fairly crowded with several parties of various sizes filling up the other tables. There were business men dressed finely speaking in hushed tones with one another, as well as several groups of people on double-dates, dressed to the nines in finery in an attempt to outshine the other couple.

He stared self-consciously down at his navy blue jumper, khaki slacks, and brown work shoes, feeling a little under-dressed just looking at the other patrons, but Alice had assured him this location didn't have a dress code. She herself was wearing a simple flowing white blouse, tweed skirt, and black pumps, but the freshwater pearl necklace gracing her neck brought her appearance up to a level that matched the other guest's nicely.

"Oh, there he is!" Alice cooed as she stood up from her chair, waving at someone that stood in the doorway. "Francis! Over here!"

Remus turned to see a tall man with tightly curled brown hair walking towards them, a bright smile on his face. He was fortunately not dressed up, wearing only a red tee with a black blazer and a pair of nice jeans. He pecked Alice on her forehead before sitting down next to her and extending a hand out for Remus to shake, his light brown eyes fixed firmly on Remus.

"You must be Remus? I'm Francis Longfellow."

"Yes, Remus Lupin," he replied, shaking Francis' hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine. I have heard plenty of nice things about you, Remus."

He looked over at Alice in surprise. "Why have you been talking about me with him?"

"Well you  _are_  my best friend," she responded as if that was obvious.

Francis laughed. "She hasn't told me anything embarrassing. I promise!"

Remus looked back towards the door. "So you came alone?" He moved his eyes between Alice and Francis. "I was told I wouldn't be a third wheel," he started nervously. "I'd rather not watch you two on a date."

"You won't be," he quickly replied, smiling at Remus. "At least you better not be. Alphard told me he'd be coming, and he wouldn't dare stand me up. I made my stance very clear with him on coming tonight."

He nodded uncertainly. "Alright, as long as you're sure I'm not going to be the odd-one out."

"Oh, we'd never do that to you," Alice said, reaching to pat Remus' hand. "I just thought it would be good to have you meet my soulmate, and when Francis mentioned that he had a friend that has been feeling rather alone lately, I thought that we should get you two to meet."

"So you're trying to get me to make another friend so you won't feel bad about abandoning me in the future when you only have time for Francis?"

Alice mock gasped, placing her hand above her heart. "I would never abandon you!"

Remus laughed.

"In all seriousness though, from what Francis has told me about Alphard, I just thought you two would hit it off. You two have a lot in common and it'd be great for you to have another friend."

He frowned disbelievingly.

"That is true," Francis interjected. "So long as what Alice said about you is accurate. I won't bother telling you all the details, as I'm sure you'd rather get to know him for yourself, but you two will be good for each other. Especially since you're both single fathers, so you have something important you can relate to and maybe even help each other with."

"You told him about Teddy?" Remus asked accusingly, glaring at Alice.

"I didn't realize he was a secret!" Alice said, hands up defensively.

"It isn't, I just – I don't know this guy. I don't want him knowing about my personal life."

Francis offered him a reassuring smile. "Hey, look. No judgment okay? We all have a past."

Remus took a calming breath. It was irrational to be upset about Alice mentioning Teddy, but he couldn't help it. He just didn't like random people knowing stuff about him, even if this was his best friend's soulmate. He didn't know Francis, and that's all that mattered.

Noticing Alice's tea was empty, Remus offered to get the next round of drinks, checking with Francis what drink he should order Alphard. There was a long line and only one bartender, but he didn't mind having to wait. He was certain the newly found soulmates would appreciate a bit of alone time. As Remus headed for the bar, he heard the front door open again, but didn't bother turning around as a dark-haired man walked in.

The newcomer made his way to the table, draping his jacket over the chair back before sliding into the seat across from Francis in one fluid movement. He ruffled his wavy hair with his left hand, trying to hide any evidence of helmet head before giving a forced smile at his coworker.

"I'm glad to see you actually came, Alphard," Francis said in greeting.

Alphard shrugged, his expression tired. "I said I would, didn't I?" Gray eyes slid towards Alice, quickly taking in her facial features before extending a hand. "You must be Miss Alice Fortescue?"

"Ah, yes," she responded, clasping his proffered hand.

"You may call me Alphard White." He gave her a curt nod before pulling his hand back and straightening his black long sleeve shirt. Alphard leaned back in his hair as he allowed his gaze to roam around the room, clearly looking for something entertaining to watch.

"You cut your hair," Francis noticed, tilting his head in a curious gesture. "I thought you loved having long hair."

Alphard made a non-committal noise, not bothering to look at Francis as he spoke. "I wanted a change. I've had long hair since I left home and figured it was time to go for something different."

"I think your hair looks really nice," Alice said, smiling politely. "That's a good look for you. You sorta remind me of a ruffled greaser." She examined his facial features for a moment longer before grinning lightly. "Although I suppose greasers don't wear eyeliner and purple lipstick."

He looked at her as she spoke, but did not offer any further response.

Francis scowled. "This change doesn't have anything to do with Moony, does it?"

Alphard resumed his people-watching, not willing to take part in another conversation about his wayward soulmate.

"Moony?" Alice looked between the two men questioningly. "Who's that?"

"Alphard's soulmate."

"Really? I would've thought that Moony was a pet's name or something."

Francis snorted. "Yeah, that's what I thought, but that's the name Alphard picked for him."

" _Picked_  for him? He picked his soulmate's name?"

"It was either that or not have a name for the bloke. Apparently, when they met, Moony just ran away without so much as an explanation or name."

" _What_?" Alice turned pitying eyes on Alphard. "So he rejected you for no reason?"

"Well, I'm sure there was a reason, but Alphard doesn't know what it is," Francis supplied.

"Still though – he's a soulmate. What kind of person would do that? That's just awful! It's the worst thing someone could _ever_  do to their soulmate."

Alphard sighed loudly, shutting his eyes as he did so. "Really, Francis. Must you air my dirty laundry? I'm trying to move past this, alright?"

Alice ducked her head, clearly embarrassed for having pried.

"So you staying home to sulk every night is trying to move past this?" Francis asked, his voice laden with sarcasm.

Alphard glared. "You know I'm only here because you asked me to come. I don't want to be here and I will gladly leave if that's how you plan to treat me."

"And what will you do when you get home? Watch  _Homeward Bound_  for the eighth time this week?"

Alphard made to leave, the chair scraping loudly against the floor, but was stopped when Alice set her hand on his arm.

"Wait Alphard, please. My friend is here and I promised him that he wouldn't be a third wheel. At least hang out with him for a bit, yeah?"

He clenched his jaw but resumed his seat after a moment. "Fine," he conceded before pointing an accusing finger at Francis. "But you shut up about Moony, alright?" He scowled before pulling a box of cigarettes out of his pocket, putting one of the fags in his mouth. "Not everyone I talk to needs to know about my soulmate."

"Yeah, yeah," Francis agreed, raising his hands in surrender.

"Ah, Remus!" Alice said as she noticed Remus finally returning with a tray of drinks for the table.

As Remus placed the drinks in front of their respective recipients, Alphard lit up, taking a long drag. Remus placed the tray to the side before sitting in the chair beside Alphard, curiously looking at the other man. There was something oddly familiar about him, but he couldn't place his finger on it.

"Remus," Alice continued. "This is Francis' coworker, Alphard White." She gestured between them as she spoke. "And Alphard, this is my best friend, Remus Lupin."

Remus hesitated. The man still had his head turned away, as if more interested in the crowd than in meeting Alice's friend, but he held his hand out all the same. "Um, it's nice to meet you Alphard."

Alphard blew out a long stream of smoke before turning to look at Remus, eyes widening in recognition. "Moony," he breathed, his mouth hanging partly open.

Remus mirrored Alphard's reaction as he realized why this man had appeared familiar. "Sirius?"

"Moony?" Francis cut in. " _That's_  Moony?"

"Wait," Alice started, "Why did you call him Sirius?"

"You nicknamed me Moony?" Remus questioned, realizing what Alphard – no, Sirius – called him.

"Well, you didn't give me your name," Sirius mumbled. "I had to call you  _something_."

"But why Moony?"

"Look, that's all well and good, but why did you call Alphard Sirius?" Alice demanded. "Is he Sirius or is he Alphard?" Memories of earlier that week surfaced, and she gasped, eyes widening. "He's Sirius Black! That's why you were researching Sirius Black; Sirius Black is your soulmate!"

Sirius gave the woman a warning look, "Would you keep it down? If you carry on like that, you're only asking for trouble."

"What?" Alice asked, clearly not following.

"Don't you think there's a reason I introduced myself as Alphard White?"

Remus narrowed his eyes. "But you told me your name is Sirius Black, and I'm as much of a stranger as Alice is."

"Yeah, well, that's-" Sirius faltered. "I mean, you're my soulmate. I didn't want to start our relationship by lying to you."

"We don't  _have_ a relationship," he responded flatly, gesturing between them.

He flinched, his storm-colored eyes fixing themselves onto the wooden table as he took another long drag of the cigarette.

"It was rather foolish to tell Remus your real name, Sirius," Francis interrupted. "You know the consequences of people finding out our identities. We're supposed to be incognito at all times."

"Consequences?" Remus replied, looking across the table towards Francis. "Like if the police get wind of who he really is? Despite his surname, there isn't an active warrant on him." Remus didn't bother pointing out that Sirius had been assumed dead, as these two men were no doubt already aware of that.

"Wait a moment," Alice started, suspicion clear in her voice. "You said 'we'. What's your real name,  _Francis_?"

Francis bit the inside of his cheek, clearly regretting not minding his words better. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Her eyes widened, the normally calm blue taking on a more erratic hue. "So you really  _aren't_ Francis Longfellow!"

"That's my name," he insisted, pulling out his identification card. "See, it says so right here."

"If she's really your soulmate, you can be honest with her Frank," Sirius murmured, stubbing out his finished cigarette in the glass ashtray.

" _Frank_?"

"Damn it, Sirius," Frank growled, shooting a glare across the table. "Just because someone is your soulmate doesn't mean you need to tell them everything the moment you meet them. Not everyone is willing to accept their soulmate. Certainly you know that."

His remark was met by a sharp hiss from Alice, a recoiling Remus, and a visibly wounded Sirius. If it wasn't for the lack of a red mark on his face, it would be easy to believe Sirius had been slapped.

"Shit," Frank started, reaching across the table for his coworker's arm that was swiftly kept out of reach. "I didn't think. Sirius-"

The stool nearly toppled over as Sirius quickly stood up, black hair swaying as he shook his head in dismissal. "No, you're right," his voice was strained as if fighting the temptation to cry. "I was being foolish. I should go."

"Wait Sirius," Alice interjected, her tone soft. "Please don't leave. I was really enjoying getting to know you."

He shook his head again as he put on his leather jacket, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the floor. "I promised McGonagall I'd have her report typed up in the morning and I haven't even touched it yet. It's probably best to get started on that; she isn't exactly known for her lenience." He forced a soft chuckle before waving. "Goodnight."

Frank and Alice offered him well wishes as Sirius strode away, slipping out the door without a glance back. When Remus moved his gaze back to his friend, she was giving him a meaningful look, but Remus was oblivious as to what meaning it was supposed to be.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to go after him?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Oh, I don't know," Alice said in mock-confusion, tapping her chin with her index finger. "Maybe because your his  _soulmate._  He is clearly distressed, Remus."

Remus shook his head. "We aren't together though, and he knows it. He won't be expecting me to follow him."

"That doesn't matter, Remus. You should at least make sure he's alright. He looked pretty upset before he left."

He looked between the two of them before sighing dramatically and standing from his seat. "Fine, I'll check on Sirius. I don't see a point, but I'll do it if it gets you off my case."

As Remus crossed the room, he could just make out the sound of Alice beginning to interrogate Frank about his alias. While he was interested in learning more, he knew that she would certainly fill him in later.

* * *

**Word Count: 2777**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, admittedly, this and the next chapter were all one scene, but I like symmetry and that made this WAY longer than the other chapters, so I had to split it up. Sorry! Fear not, though! I intend to post the next section soon (shouldn't be longer than a few days), so you won't be left with a cliff hanger for too long. I thought this was the best part to split it up, so please don't hate me!
> 
> Please review!


	4. Realizing Your Mistake

It wasn't difficult to find Sirius in the parking lot. Even without looking for anyone in particular, the man had a presence that was hard to miss. He was leaning against a lamppost finishing off another cigarette with trembling hands. His eyes were closed in an apparent effort to calm himself down before heading home.

Remus rolled his eyes, seeing no reason why he needed to come after Sirius. If he was so good at relaxing on his own, what help could Remus possibly offer him? He knew if he didn't at least talk to Sirius though, he would have to face the wrath of Alice later, and that was never a pretty sight.

"Sirius?"

Gray eyes snapped open, finding Remus' amber ones immediately.

"Um, Alice thought that I should check on you," he explained lamely.

He snorted, dropping the cigarette onto the asphalt and crushing it under his boot. "Well you can head back inside, Lupin. I don't need a minder." Sirius turned away, lifting a red and gold helmet off of a motorcycle and fastening it on his head before straddling the bike, pulling a set of keys from his jeans pocket.

"Sirius, wait," Remus started, walking closer so they were only a few feet apart. "There's no reason you need to leave. Come back inside and hang out for a while."

He flicked up his visor, examining Remus' eyes suspiciously as if searching for any malice. While he didn't make any movement to get off the bike, he relaxed slightly, clearly willing to talk. "Why did you leave?"

"What?"

"Last Thursday, when we met. You said that it wasn't going to work out between us and you left. Why?"

"Oh."

Sirius removed his helmet, ruffling his hair with his left hand. "Don't you think I at least deserve an explanation? What is it? Are you in another relationship? Do you not find me attractive?" He scoffed at that, shaking his head in dismissal. The man was clearly well-aware of just how attractive he was. "There has to have been some reason. What is it, Lupin?"

"No, I – I mean, you're right. You deserve an explanation. I'm sorry about running like that, I just – I was overwhelmed. Meeting you like that was just so unexpected."

He studied Remus for a long while before pressing further, a soft shimmer of hope visible in his eyes. "So, now that you've had more time to process everything, are you willing to give me a chance?"

Remus was tempted to agree, but he had to think about what was best for Teddy; a relationship with a man that had a false identity and a questionable background was definitely not in Teddy's best interest. While he hated the idea of shattering the man's heart for a second time, it was necessary. "I'm sorry, but no. Nothing has changed, and this won't work. It can't."

He left out a long breath, the easy acceptance on his face showing that he had anticipated a negative response. The gesture tugged at Remus' heart, weakening his resolve momentarily.

Sirius closed his eyes in an obvious attempt to control his emotions. "Tell me why. Please."

He was hesitant to talk about Teddy as Sirius no doubt still had connections to the mafia, and informing him about his son didn't seem like a wise move. Instead, he went with the next best thing. "We're just too different."

"Different?"

"Yes. I mean, look at us," he gestured between the two of them. "I'm a cardigan wearing bookworm, and you're a leather wearing daredevil."

Sirius smirked at that remark, though the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "I don't think our clothing choice really has anything to do with who we're compatible with."

"I like to stay home at night with a good book and a cup of tea, whereas you most likely enjoy the night life. Bar hopping, clubbing, hanging out with drunk friends, and the like. I'm a family man. I like the idea of growing old with someone and raising children, maybe adopting a stray dog or two. You're a live-in-the-moment man. The kind that loves a new conquest, and enjoys meaningless sex. I like -

"What did you say?" All traces of amusement left his face in the blink of an eye, being replaced quickly with enmity.

Remus froze in the face of an angry Sirius. His normally gentle gray eyes had taken on a darker hue that was akin to an oncoming thunderstorm. While Remus knew he would be able to defend himself should the other man try anything, he would rather not get involved in a scuffle. It was too much paperwork.

"I didn't mean-," Remus backpedaled, trying to ease the situation before it got out of hand. "It's just that you're the sort that a girl's mum would warn them about, you know?"

"So I look like someone that seduces random people into my bed? Is that what you're saying?"

"Well, I-" It was at this inopportune moment that Remus recalled what Frank had told him about Sirius; that he was also a single father. Embarrassment flooded Remus' mind, causing him to become tongue tied. He hadn't intended to offend the other man, but he had completely forgotten about that very important detail, and now he couldn't figure out how to claw his way out of this situation.

"Exactly what about me makes me look like I enjoy anonymous sex, Lupin?"

Staring into the face of an angered Black had to be one of the most nerve-wracking things Remus had ever encountered. It was easy to see how the man's family had risen so easily in the underground. The family was known for their fierce temper, and it was apparently very easy to bring about. Had Remus not been trained extensively in various hostile situations, he would most likely have turned tail and ran from the expression currently on Sirius' face. He knew his next words would have to be very well thought out, or he would definitely not be able to avoid extra paperwork tonight.

Then the simple answer came to him. The very source of Remus' insecurities on his soulmate's identity was staring him so blatantly in the face, he felt stupid to not immediately grasp and use it. "It doesn't have anything to do with your looks," he amended gently, testing the waters as he spoke by ensuring he didn't break eye contact. The moment Sirius turned hostile, he would need to be prepared, and the eyes were always the first hint.

He rose one slender eyebrow in a perfect aristocratic arch, his lips pursed into a thin line. "Well it can't be my personality, considering you never bothered getting to know me."

"You're right," Remus subtly adjusted his position so the lamppost was partly between them. If things went south, having that bit of extra concrete protecting his legs would be beneficial. "I haven't really gotten to know you, but you are a Black, and that speaks for itself."

Remus has expected the man's temper to flare, so when grief flickered in his eyes for a second before all emotion was forced out to leave a closed expression, Remus was thrown off-kilter.

"I mean," Remus continued, feeling compelled by some unknown force to explain himself, "it's just that we won't be compatible. I work in law enforcement and you're a Black. Having a relationship with you would be a gross conflict of interest. Maybe that's something that Alice and Francis – er, I mean Frank – are willing to deal with, but I'm just not ready for that."

"A conflict of interest," Sirius repeated, his voice so quiet, Remus almost missed his words. "Just what sort of job do you think I have?"

His eyebrows rose in surprise, not expecting to be asked for an example. "Well, I – to be honest, I had only recently heard about the Black Family, but I know that your organization is full of illegitimate activities such as human and drug trafficking. Being the heir, I suppose you would be responsible for keeping the 'employees' in line and ordering punishments for those that stray. Though you are rather fit, so it's possible you enjoy punishing those people yourself."

Sirius made a clicking sound with his tongue and the roof of his mouth, before nodding and reaffixing the motorcycle helmet. "I see. Well, thank you for clarifying that, Lupin." He inserted the key into his bike and turned the ignition on with a deafening roar, causing Remus to involuntarily jump from the sound.

Remus scowled, not having expected that reaction from Sirius. Certainly the man should either get jumpy that Remus was spot-on, expecting him to try arresting Sirius, or he would get angry again, lashing out at Remus for claiming he was involved in something heinous. The clear dismissal was something he had definitely not anticipated.

"You're not going to deny it?" Remus shouted over the noise of the motorcycle.

Sirius flicked the visor down without bothering to look at the other man. "You should stop talking to me if you don't want to sully your reputation," he retorted, derision thick in his voice. "Goodbye, Lupin. Hopefully our paths won't cross again."

Sirius twisted his grip on the handlebar to open the throttle before accelerating out of the parking lot at a speed that was definitely not legal. Remus watched his retreating form until the man and bike disappeared behind a building, the rumbling of the engine eventually becoming too far to make out.

An uncomfortable niggling in Remus' chest made him feel as though he had just made a huge mistake. His mind was torn between reprimanding himself for letting the man leave and insisting that it was for the best. Everything in Remus' life had been so straight forward until now. He was completely unaccustomed to this uncertainty, and he definitely didn't appreciate it.

Turning Sirius away _was_ the right choice. He knew that. Becoming involved with a future mafia lord was not wise at all. A police detective had no business getting involved with someone like that. Especially not a police detective with a five-year-old son to look after.

The analytical part of his mind couldn't help but wonder why Sirius had given up so easily though. Surely having a lover that works in law enforcement would be extremely beneficial to someone like him; having a soulmate bond with them would be even more tempting, as that would provide further assurance your lover wouldn't stray. Remus could have been an inside man for the Black's operations, almost guaranteeing that Sirius would never be caught.

Why would Sirius have let him go? Why didn't he continue trying to seduce him? Surely someone that cares so much about power wouldn't just walk away from such a golden opportunity, and the man had made it very clear he was giving up on him.

Remus sighed heavily, kicking at the man's discarded cigarette butt on the floor. It had been thoroughly pulverized beneath Sirius' boots, only leaving torn strips of tan paper and filter fluff blowing in the gentle wind. Tearing his gaze away, he mindlessly walked back inside the bar, silently sitting down across from Alice, and downed the long island iced tea she had bought him earlier in a long draught. This evening was definitely not what he had anticipated, and he simply didn't want to think anymore.

Curious blue eyes found Remus' face as Alice tilted her head, her blonde curls flirting with the tabletop. "You weren't able to convince Sirius stay?"

Remus shook his head before downing the untouched drink in front of Sirius' empty seat. "No, he said he doesn't want to see me ever again."

"Really?" Frank narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "I find that hard to believe considering he's spent the last nine days pining after 'Moony'."

Remus shrugged, waving a nearby waiter over to order another round for the table.

"What exactly happened outside?"

Remus locked eyes with Frank. He didn't know just what kind of shady work the man did, but he did know he was Sirius' coworker, which meant he was also attached to the mafia. Although Frank looked like a gentle man, it could easily be a well-polished front. The look he was currently giving Remus was very firm. If the two weren't so obviously different in appearance, Remus would have believed Frank to be Sirius' elder brother by that expression alone.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Remus replied in an aloof manner, choosing to sip at his new drink. He was beginning to feel a buzz from the two drinks already, so he should at least slow down his consumption.

"You pushed him away," Frank stated, his brown eyes full of disappointment. He laughed humorlessly, shaking his head before polishing off his gin and tonic. "And considering how stubborn Sirius is, you must have said some pretty harsh words to get him to submit. Why would you do that? He's your soulmate, isn't he? Aren't soulmates meant to accept each other completely, flaws and all?"

Alice frowned, biting her lip. "Remus," she said softly, grabbing at his hand as it rested on the table. "Rejecting your soulmate is a terrible thing to do. How would you feel if it was the other way around? Don't you think you owe him a chance at least?"

"I _can't_  be with him," he replied firmly. He wouldn't let either of them try to guilt him into being in a relationship with Sirius. It just wasn't possible. Alice was already toeing the line with Frank, but at least  _he_ wasn't a Black.

"Why not?"

"He's a Black," he replied simply.

"What?!" Frank slammed his hand against the table, causing the glasses to shake precariously, and he stood from his seat, eyes alight with indignation. "You rejected him because of his surname?"

The volume of his outburst attracted the attention of the other patrons, who glanced over curiously before resuming their conversations.

"I-" Remus started, his voice failing him for the first time that night.

There was no denying that the man across from him was livid, but where Sirius' anger was closer to a simmering vengeance, Frank's was explosive and indignant. The man was, quite honestly, reminding Remus of how Alice would behave had anyone tried to hurt Remus.

"So you're telling me," Frank growled, glaring daggers at Remus, "that I've been having to deal with a heartbroken, blubbering mess of a partner because his  _soulmate_  can't accept the fact that he comes from a fucked up family?"

"Well, it's just-"

"He isn't even a real Black anymore," Frank continued, steamrolling over Remus' objection as if he never spoke. "He got  _disowned_. Didn't he tell you that, or were you too busy shooting him down to listen?"

"Disowned?" Remus' mouth hung partly open in surprise. He didn't know that, but Sirius hadn't even tried to tell him. He had just accepted what Remus said and left without bothering to correct him.

"Yes, disowned. He refused to marry that horrible woman his parents tried setting him up with. Naturally that didn't go over very well with his dear mum and dad. They tried 'correcting' him, but when that failed to work, they hired an assassin to take care of him. Unfortunately for them, the assassin they hired tipped him off and he ran away from home. Orion wasn't a fool and knew the assassin failed, so he disowned him on paper, keeping all records hidden from the public eye. As far as anyone could tell, Sirius just disappeared one day. Our organization circulated rumors that he committed suicide, but we know the Black Family isn't convinced. No Black would ever commit suicide. It's far too pedestrian for those insane bastards. They'd much rather a duel to the death if they really want to off themselves."

Remus was silent for a long while, processing everything Frank had told him. A wave of nausea began to wash over him. While the story was unsettling, it was too unrealistic. It sounded like something out of a Brothers Grimm novel. "That doesn't make sense. Why would Orion hire an assassin to kill his son? He was his heir, right?"

"He had two sons," Frank said matter-of-factually. "Regulus was younger than Sirius by little more than a year, but still a male heir."

"Oh." He supposed he should have known that, but aside from reading up on Sirius and the main headlines on the Black Family, he didn't really delve too deeply with his research.

"Incidentally, Regulus was the assassin Orion hired."

Remus and Alice's breath caught in their throats as they stared wide-eyed at Frank.

"Orion hired Sirius' brother to kill him?" Alice asked in disbelief.

Shame began to flood Remus' chest as he lowered his gaze to the suddenly highly fascinating wood grains on the table. He had insisted that Sirius was just like the people that had treated him so cruelly. He had just assumed that Sirius was an evil man simply because of his name. A name he was no longer even associated with. A name that no doubt felt like a curse to the young man.

"Yes," Frank replied with a nod as he chewed on a piece of ice. "Orion chose him for the job to dissuade Regulus from following in his brother's footsteps. That's how messed up that family is."

"Wasn't Regulus worried about their father finding out though?" Alice asked, a worried crease on her forehead. "That he didn't actually kill Sirius, I mean?"

"No. Orion was already losing one son. He couldn't afford a second. Those two are the last male Blacks left that aren't in their senior years."

Alice shook her head. "You really weren't joking when you said he comes from a messed up family. I knew they were evil, but I didn't think they would be that cruel to their own."

"Yeah. Some of the things he's told me is admittedly hard to believe. Ever since running away, Sirius has been trying to distance himself from them as much as possible: mentally and physically. While he is no longer in contact with any of them, you can imagine what kind of corrupting influence that would be to grow up with; they've really done a number on his mind."

Alice nodded along with sympathy shining in her eyes while Remus tried to mull everything over in his head.

"As far as physically distancing himself," Frank continued, speaking more to Alice than Remus, "that's the main reason he likes to dress the way he does. Band tees, torn jeans, lots of leather, excessive facial jewelry. Basically anything that would send his mother into a fit."

She furrowed her brows. "But if he doesn't see them, what good does that do?"

"It's more for himself, really. A true Black would never been seen looking like a punk. He figures that if he doesn't look like one of them, that people wouldn't treat him as such. Unfortunately, he is the spitting image of his father, so he has little choice but to go extreme to get his point across."

"Earlier you mentioned your organization," Remus said softly, finding his voice once again. "What is it that you two do?"

Frank smirked at Remus, though it was clear he was still extremely angered about the whole ordeal. After glancing over his shoulder to ensure there was no one obviously listening in, he leaned forward so he didn't need to let his voice carry. "We're bounty hunters."

Remus' eyes widened in surprise. "Bounty hunters?" Out of everything he had assumed Sirius and Frank did for their profession, he hadn't suspected something so lawful.

"Yes," he affirmed. "We work for an organization called The Order of the Phoenix. Perhaps you've heard of it? Alice said you two are police detectives, yes?"

"The Order of the Phoenix," Remus whispered in disbelief. "You mean that organization is real?"

Frank nodded. "Yes, very real. We work to strike back against the criminal underground. Lately we've been exceptionally busy with a new group calling themselves Death Eaters. Unfortunately, being funded heavily by the Black Family, they are highly elusive. That's one of the main reasons we work undercover. It wouldn't do to have everyone calling us by our true names or we would be spotted far too easily."

Remus pulled at his hair as he warred with frustration and self-loathing. The Order of the Phoenix was anything but a crooked operation. From what he had heard, they were one of the best weapons England had against the criminal underground. They would not have allowed Sirius to be a part of their group had he still been loyal to the Black Family, which meant that he was not at all the man Remus had assumed he was.

His earlier conversation rang unbidden in his mind. With the knowledge Frank had given him, his previous words left a bitter taste. He had said such horrible things to his soulmate. He had intentionally pushed the man away. Remus had wounded him so badly that Sirius hadn't even bothered to fight back, accepting the rejection without complaint. The tongue truly was a venomous weapon, and he had intentionally wielded it against a man he was meant to love.

Remus felt so stupid. Why had he doubted fate? Everything about their pairing made perfect sense. Someone like him could never associate with a crooked person, so naturally whoever fate would choose for him wouldn't be crooked. He should have at least given Sirius a chance, but he didn't. Now, he may never have that opportunity again, and they would be condemned to spend the rest of their lives apart.

" _So, now that you've had more time to process everything, are you willing to give me a chance?"_

Closing his eyes, he could still see the way that shimmer of hope had flickered out of Sirius' beautiful gray eyes. He was probably too late now, but Remus would be damned if he didn't at least try to make amends.

"Frank, I need to fix this," he said, desperation causing his voice to take on a strained tone. "Please, may I have Sirius' phone number?"

He saw Frank hesitate, glancing uncertainly between Alice and Remus. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Please, Frank?" Remus offered his best imitation of puppy eyes, hoping to wear down the other man.

Frank laughed, true amusement flickering across his face for the first time in almost an hour. "I work with Sirius, mate, and he's the master of the puppy dog expression. You'll have to do better than that."

A corner of Remus' lips twitched.

"Frank," Alice said, turning her focus solely on her soulmate. "It would be best if we let them work this out, yeah? If they break it off like this, we'll both have a moping best friend to deal with."

Remus tried his hardest not to scoff in indignation. As much as he didn't appreciate being accused of future moping, Alice was advocating for him.

Frank sighed before scribbling down a number onto a stray napkin and sliding it across the table. "Very well. Here's his phone number. You may want to give him a bit of time before you call though. I doubt he'll want to hear from you so soon."

Remus frowned as he pocketed the napkin. "How long do you think I should wait?"

Frank shrugged. "It's hard to say without having been there. Just trust your instincts. He  _is_  your soulmate, so you should be able to just know when it's the right time."

Remus nodded, hoping that trusting his instincts would work. They hadn't done him any justice so far.

* * *

**Word Count: 4010**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouch – sorry about that. I know, of all the things Remus could have said to him, I made him accuse Sirius of being the one thing he prides himself on not being. They will make up though – eventually. As I've been saying, please bare with me. I'm not used to angst as I'm a supper fluff fan, but this will have a happy ending! I'm not changing my mind on that and you can't make me. :)
> 
> Please review!


	5. A Surprise Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning:  
> This chapter contains child abduction and brief child abuse. I promise everything turns out good in the end, but just a heads up.

It had been four days since Lupin, formerly known as Moony, once again rejected Sirius. This time he had made it perfectly clear he was not, and never would be, interested in having a relationship with him. While it was certainly better than being uncertain about where the two of them stood, it didn't make it any easier.

When he ran into Lupin at the bar on Saturday night, Sirius had foolishly thought that maybe this was fate giving him a second chance. That perhaps this time, Lupin would make an effort to get to know him. Or at the very least, give some sound explanation that would ease the ache in his soul that had been wearing at him over the last two weeks.

Frank nudged him as the two men made their way through the parking lot as they left the order meeting that night. "Hey cheer up, mate. You've been looking like a kicked dog all day."

Sirius snorted, kicking a loose rock across the asphalt. "Well forgive me for not being chipper about having my heart stomped on, Quickleg."

Frank scowled. "I thought I told you I don't like that codename."

"It's too late to change it now. I've already spread word that you are to go by Quickleg from now on."

He rolled his eyes but didn't bother arguing with Sirius. Everyone knew once the man made up his mind about something, there was no way to talk him down. "Fine, whatever you say  _Padfoot_."

Sirius rose his eyebrow in a graceful arch. "You say that like I'm supposed to be offended. I have no qualms with the name Padfoot."

"It's just as dumb as Quickleg."

He gave a half smile as they slowed their walk, finally arriving at their separate vehicles. Sirius picked up his helmet, toying with the straps as Frank popped the trunk of his Civic, setting his briefcase and trench coat in the boot. The trunk closed with a heavy thunk and Frank made his way over to stand next to Sirius, leaning against his car in a relaxed manner.

"Listen Sirius," he said quietly, his tone resolved. "Things will turn around, alright?"

"Will they?" Sirius asked, his voice laced with skepticism. "The man rejected me. And not because of something I did, no. He rejected me because of who I am."

"He made a mistake," he reasoned, though he didn't sound very certain. "Maybe he'll come around."

"No, he won't." He hung his head, hiding his eyes behind dark tresses. "And even if he did, I don't know if I'd want to be with him anymore."

Frank took a deep breath before placing a firm hand on Sirius' shoulder. "You don't mean that."

"Don't I?" Sirius lifted his head to look at Frank, his gray eyes filled with swirling emotions, as though he was fighting himself. "He treated me just like everyone else. As soon as he found out who I am, he ran. I thought that maybe, just  _maybe_ , there had been a misunderstanding. That me being a Black wasn't the problem. But when I asked him for clarification, he told me exactly that."

"He might have just been scared," he suggested.

A barking laugh escaped his mouth, and he shook his head firmly. "No. There was no fear in his eyes. He knew what he was doing when he rejected me." Sirius laughed again, an eerie mirthless sound that reminded him disturbingly of his mother. "I suppose it makes sense."

Frank hesitated, unsure he liked the direction this conversation was headed. He had always known Sirius had a flair for dramatics, but ever since he lost his old partner, James, the man had been struggling even more with keeping his sanity. "What makes sense?"

"If my own family is unable to love me for who I am, how could I expect my soulmate to?"

"Padfoot-" Frank started, fixing Sirius with a firm expression.

He laughed again, affixing his helmet as he took a single step away from Frank. "No, it's fine. I'm fine." Sirius swung his leg over the bike, inserting the key into the ignition. "I just need to move on, is all. Let's not talk about him anymore, alright?"

Frank pursed his lips. He knew Sirius was doing that thing again where he pushes the issues to the back of his mind, ignoring the problem instead of confronting it. It wasn't healthy, but Frank wasn't close enough to him that Sirius would let him tear down his walls. If he did push, he was certain it would just make the problems bigger.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Quickleg."

* * *

The next evening found Sirius reclining on a rather stiff armchair in his living room, a manilla folder resting on his chest as he slowly began drifting off to sleep. It wasn't particularly late, but as Harry was already asleep and the new case file wasn't that important, he found no reason why he shouldn't allow himself a bit more sleep.

He had finally stopped crying about his soulmate, slowly adjusting to the numbness in his heart. However, almost three weeks of tears were especially draining, and he was in desperate need of rest. Sirius had already made up his mind to get over Lupin and to move on with his life. The first step would be getting an adequate amount of sleep. After all, if he felt like a dejected loser, he would certainly look like one, too.

Eyes firmly shut, he blindly reached over to turn off the floor lamp without moving from his chair, the folder slipping onto the floor in the process. Without bothering to pick it up, he nestled back into the cushion, reclining it as far as he could go.

_RIIING! RIIING!_

Gray eyes popped open, immediately locating the glowing screen of his cell phone. With a grumble, Sirius leaned forward, putting the footrest down as he grabbed at the phone, accepting the call without bothering to look at the number.

"This is Padfoot."

There was a moment of silence, though he could hear someone breathing on the other end. "Sirius?"

He eyed the phone warily. Everyone that had access to this number should know that Padfoot meant Sirius.

When the caller realized that Sirius had no intention of replying, they spoke again nervously. "This is Sirius, right? Frank gave me your number."

Frank? That couldn't be right. Frank knew better than to give his number out to people. Phones could be traced, and offering a way to track someone was completely foolish. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Oh, um – it's me. Remus. Um – Remus Lupin. I was-"

Irritation flickered across Sirius' face as he dismissed the call without giving it a second thought. The man had some nerve contacting him after the way he treated him. Soulmate or no, he had no right to call him. If he wanted to hear from Lupin, he would have given him his number himself.

Less than forty seconds later, the phone rang again, and this time Sirius glanced at the number before answering. It was a number he didn't recognize, but he knew he should answer it nonetheless. After all, it could be important.

"This is Padfoot."

"Sirius – don't hang up," the voice that he had just hung up on said quickly, as if afraid he would do just that.

"What do you want, Lupin? I need to keep this line open."

"I really want to apologize." Lupin's tone sounded sincere, but Sirius refused to cave.

"I'm not interested," he lied.

"Regardless, I was a real prat. I shouldn't have said-"

"Let me guess," Sirius cut him off, glaring in the phone's direction as his voice threatened to break. He had finally been able to push down his emotions enough to stop crying and now Lupin was trying to resurface everything. The nerve! "Frank told you my sob story and now you feel bad? Well don't. I'm not interested, okay?"

"Sirius-"

"I'm a Black, remember?" he spat, choking on the words as his throat began to tighten.

"Please just-"

"Don't call me again," he said firmly before hitting the red icon on his phone. He slammed it down onto the cushion beside him, as those cursed tears once again welled up in his eyes.

Sirius knew he was being stupid. Lupin was reaching out to him, trying to fix what happened between them, and Sirius just pushed him away. His heart swirled with a cacophony of emotions. He was both elated and angry that he had called. He wanted to be with his soulmate more than anything, but at the same time, he wished that the man had never run into him. When he heard his voice again, he wanted to both embrace him, opening himself up to a relationship, as well as punch him in his stupidly handsome face.

As if the man could read his mind (which he probably could, being his soulmate and all), Sirius' phone rang for a third time. He checked the number before answering, noting it as the same one. Sirius sent the call straight to voicemail, not trusting himself to answer without giving in and sobbing openly in front of the other man. He then saved the contact information, so should his phone ring again, he wouldn't inadvertently answer Lupin's calls.

Perhaps one day they could get back in touch, but for now, Sirius needed to get over his emotional omnishambles.

The phone rang three more times that night, all of which were immediately sent to voicemail. On the final call, Sirius heard the notification sound informing him that Lupin had left a message.

Sirius let out a huff before picking up his phone and placing it on the charger. He collected the previously dislodged folder and the pages that had unwarrantably slipped out, setting them properly on the coffee table. After a quick clean up in the living room, he made his way to the bedroom, curling up beneath the sheets without bothering to undress.

With the phone finally silent and the freshly strewn tears causing his eyes to feel weary, Sirius easily fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Remus let out a long sigh, hanging up the phone when Sirius' monotone "Leave a message." came through the speaker. He pocketed his cell as he made his way back to his mother, sitting beside her on the park bench.

"What's the matter?" Hope Lupin asked, concern shining in her caramel brown eyes.

He shook his head, allowing his tawny locks to shroud his face slightly. "I really messed up, mum."

"How so? You only stepped away for a moment to make that call, surely you couldn't make a mistake that quickly." She smiled warmly at her son. Hope had always been a confident woman, never one to shy away from a challenge. At this moment, Remus wished that he had gotten that trait from her, as he could have definitely used some of her confidence earlier.

"I was-" he hesitated, willing himself to tell her the truth. It wasn't that he didn't want to be honest with his mother, he simply didn't like the idea of her knowing just how much of a screw-up he was. "I was trying to get ahold of my soulmate."

"You found your soulmate?" Hope perked up, her eyes glittering with excitement. "Oh, that's great news!" She leaned in, hugging Remus tightly around his shoulders as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Not really, no," he mumbled as she pulled back. He scanned the park, watching Teddy as he clambered across a web climber. "I – I made a huge mistake." Remus chewed his lip as he replayed the second encounter with his soulmate in his head.

"How so?"

He looked back towards his mother, his expression the very definition of dejection. "I was stupid, and I pushed him away. I said some things – I mean, I didn't know any better at the time, but that doesn't matter, does it? I hurt him. I pushed him away, and now-" Remus shook his head, his earlier words echoing mockingly in his mind. "Now he doesn't want anything to do with me, and I can't really blame him. I wouldn't want anything to do with me either."

Hope narrowed her gaze as she analyzed her son, thinking for a long moment before speaking. "What makes you say he doesn't want anything to do with you?"

The question threw Remus off. He had expected her to want more details about what he did to make Sirius hate him or to offer him empty words of comfort. "Well, I – I've been trying to call him and he won't take any of my calls. I left him a voicemail a few times, but I don't know if he even ever listened to them. For all I know, he just deleted them without checking."

"So you've been calling him?"

"Yes, every day. It's been almost two weeks now, but he refuses to answer. I know he's declining my calls because it goes to voicemail after only one ring. He's intentionally ignoring me."

Remus scanned the park again, seeing Teddy had moved on to the monkey bars, swinging alongside a boy with unruly black hair. After a few swings, the other boy jumped off the bars before sprinting across the sandlot, kicking up dirt as he went. Remus shook his head, hoping that Teddy had enough sense to not follow after the other boy's example.

Aside from an elderly couple in the distance, two teenage girls, and a man with a barking laugh, the park was nearly empty, as it was still rather early in the day. Remus preferred coming in the early hours when it was this peaceful. He could enjoy the quiet atmosphere with his mother and son, taking in the greenery that made this place so beautiful.

"Remus," Hope said, bringing Remus out of his reverie.

He looked back at his mother, noticing the determined glint in her eyes.

"Perhaps you're going about this the wrong way."

He furrowed his brows. "How do you mean?"

"You're trying to call him. Why? To apologize? To beg for forgiveness?"

"Well, both. I don't know if he will forgive me, but I at least need to make amends for what I said."

"He will forgive you, Remus. He's your soulmate."

"Which makes what I said even worse!" His voice cracked as the emotions seeped to the surface. "You weren't there, mum. You didn't see his face. I – I was really mean to him."

Hope reached forward, setting a gentle hand on Remus' cheek, stroking his cheekbone lightly. "Remus, soulmates aren't like they are written about in fairytales. They fight, they argue, they don't always see eye-to-eye, but they are connected to one another through thick and thin. When you see him again, you will know what to say to make everything better. I believe that with all my heart, Remus. If you give up on him, you will regret it for the rest of your life."

"But I don't know what to do," he whispered, finally voicing his fears. "I'm at a loss. He won't even listen to me. How can I make amends?"

"Perhaps calling him isn't the best way to handle this?"

"I don't know how else to get ahold of him," he said, shaking his head.

"Are you a police detective or not?" Hope asked, a smile in her voice. "You can track him down, find where he works, and talk to him there. Invite him out for coffee or something."

"He has a false identity," Remus countered. He already knew there was nothing in the system on Sirius Black.

She hummed in thought. "Well, do you know his false identity name? Perhaps you can put out a BOLO for him? Do you have any connections? There's always a way to find your soulmate, Remus. You two are destined for each other, and you can't give up so easily."

"I-" Remus took a deep breath, realizing his mother was right. He did have a way to find him. A very easy way in fact. Alice was Frank's soulmate and Frank works with Sirius. Of course. Why hadn't he thought of that sooner.

"See," Hope cooed, noting the realization that lit up her son's face. "Now, no more talk about you having messed up your chances at a happily ever after, Remus."

He gave her a hesitant smile. "Thanks for the talk mum. It really helped."

"That's what I'm here for," she laughed.

Remus moved his gaze back to the playground, his eyes freezing on the unruly haired boy and the man that was crouched in front of him. While the man had apparently found it too early to apply any makeup, Remus would recognize that face anywhere. "That's-" Remus breathed, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Hmm?" Hope followed Remus' line of sight, stopping on the father and son combo. "Who are they?"

"That's my soulmate," Remus whispered.

Sirius was nodding along to something the young boy was saying, a placating smile on his face. While he still wore a titanium lip ring and two dark red eyebrow studs, his appearance was definitely far more laid back. That well-worn leather jacket had made a reappearance, covering a color washed gray band shirt. He still wore those horribly gaudy boots and black jeans that were far too tight, and his wolf belt buckle peeked out from under his tee.

"Oh?" She didn't bother hiding the interest from her voice. "Well, perhaps this is fate giving you the perfect opportunity to make amends?"

Remus glanced at his mother nervously. "I don't know-"

"Remus," she scolded firmly, but quietly. "Don't you dare think about running. You march yourself over to him and you have a proper conversation."

He gulped.

She rose an eyebrow that was not to be questioned.

"Er- right," Remus said, tugging at his cranberry cardigan. The very same well-worn cardigan he was wearing when he first ran into Sirius. Quite literally.

As he walked over unsteadily, he shot a nervous glance back at Hope who offered him a reassuring smile. He tried to return the grin but was certain it came out far more awkward than he would like to admit. As he neared the duo, it was clear that neither of them paid any mind to his approach. The young boy was completely engrossed in his conversation, and the adult was doing an excellent job at playing the part of engaged.

"-and you should have seen me pops! I almost flew over the beam!"

"Yeah, I saw, Harry," Sirius nodded along.

"It was so cool! I stayed in the sky for  _five whole minutes._ "

"Five whole minutes? You were counting?"

"Yup! I can count  _really_  high. Wanna see?"

Sirius grinned widely. "I bet I can count higher," he said teasingly.

"Nuh-uh!" Harry said firmly, shaking his head. "Mrs. Pince says I am the best counter!"

"Oh, really? Wanna prove it?"

He stuck out his tongue as he nodded before taking a deep breath. Before Harry could even get one number out though, something behind Sirius caught his attention. "Who's that creepy guy, pops?"

Sirius looked over his shoulder to follow Harry's line of sight, visibly going rigid for a split second. Remus looked over, but from his angle, he could only see the top half of a rather haggard looking man behind one of the shrubs. He was fumbling with something and did admittedly look rather suspicious.

"Stay here, Harry," Sirius said firmly before taking off in the man's direction, passing by Remus without so much as a glance.

A bad premonition pressed into Remus' gut as he silently pursued Sirius, keeping to the boscage just in case stealth would be needed. If Sirius' job truly was bounty hunting, this man that peaked his interest was no doubt dangerous.

"What's the hurry?" Sirius' voice rang out through the cool morning air as he neared the man. Remus could just make out enough of Sirius' face to see a hard edge in his steely eyes.

The man turned to glower at Sirius, revealing an ugly expression and gnarled yellow teeth. "Not that it's any of  _your_  business, but my son isn't feeling well. I have to get him home," he grumbled while tugging at something – someone – that was still below Remus' line of sight.

"Your son?" Sirius repeated, voice laden with skepticism.

"Yes," the man spat. "Now if you'll excuse me," he made to turn around.

Sirius crouched down slightly to bring his attention on the child. "Is this man your father?"

"No, sir."

Remus' heart froze. Even without seeing the child in question, he would always recognize Teddy's voice. This man was abducting his son, and he hadn't even noticed. How could he have let himself get so distracted?

"Do you know this man?"

"Uh-uh."

Sirius stood up again with even more ice in his gaze than there had been before. "I would highly recommend handing the boy over." He pushed back his leather jacket just enough to reveal a gun holster, resting his hand on the butt of it in warning. "Now."

The man narrowed his blue eyes as he weighed his options, clearly hesitant to relinquish his prize, and not at all trusting that Sirius would let him go unscathed even if he cooperated.

Harry had apparently not followed Sirius' earlier instructions to stay where he was, and stepped beside his father, tugging at Sirius' pant legs. "What's going on, pops?"

Not removing his eyes from the man, Sirius gestured for Harry to move back. "It's nothing for you to worry about, Harry."

An evil grin broke across the shady man's face as he eyed the dark-haired boy.

Sirius unlatched the guard on his holster, finger toying with the safety button. "Listen,  _Fenrir Greyback_."

Fenrir's eyes widened marginally, clearly thrown-off by Sirius recognizing him.

"Hand over the child now, and I will let you walk away unharmed."

He glared at Sirius a final time before nodding in recognition. "Very well."

Sirius removed his hand from the gun slightly, just as Fenrir practically threw Teddy towards Sirius. Sirius knelt to catch the young boy before he fell, distracting him just enough for Fenrir to grab Harry. He lifted the boy easily by his waist, pressing a switch blade against Harry's throat as he took several steps back.

When Sirius saw his son in Fenrir's grasp, all traces of color slipped from his face. "Harry!" He took an instinctive step forward before freezing when the man pressed the blade firmer against Harry's throat.

"Stay right where you are," Fenrir growled.

Remus looked over to see that Teddy had successfully scampered back towards Hope. He pulled out his cell phone, sending a quick message to dispatch to send a squad to the park. There was no way he could let this man abduct his soulmate's son, especially considering Harry got captured because Sirius had chosen to rescue Teddy.

"Please," Sirius said, all signs of the cool bravado he possessed earlier gone. "Let Harry go."

"If you don't want to see the boy's head roll, you will do as I say."

He took in a shaky breath, extending his arms out in a placating gesture. "Anything."

"Remove your gun, and toss it in the bushes. Slowly." Fenrir gestured towards where Remus was crouching, causing Remus to hold his breath as if that would help him blend in better. Once the man moved his eyes back onto Sirius, Remus carefully moved through the boscage until he was closer to Fenrir than Sirius.

Sirius did as instructed, sliding his weapon over with enough force to wedge it neatly below the branches. "What is your intention with him?"

He smiled wickedly. "That is none of your concern."

"Is it money?" His gray eyes took on an erratic appearance as his voice began to flirt with insanity. "I will buy him off you. I'll give you everything I have."

"Everything you have is hardly worth anything."

"But I-"

"You're not the only one that is good at facial recognition. I know who you are; the disgraced son of Orion Black, Sirius Black."

Sirius' bottom lip began to tremble. The pace of his breathing hinted at the beginning of a panic attack. "Disgraced or no, I have money. Please, just name your price."

"You can't afford my price, Sirius. Do you know just how much a male Black heir is worth?" Fenrir sneered as if speaking with someone stupid.

He shook his head. "But he's-"

"Turn around."

Sirius gulped, eyes still pleading. "Please."

"I  _said_ turn around."

A gasp sounded from Harry's mouth as a trickle of blood shone on his exposed throat.

He closed his eyes, biting his lip as he complied, turning his back on Fenrir and Harry.

"Now, down on your knees."

As Sirius did as instructed, Fenrir began taking several steps backwards, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on Sirius.

"Don't you dare try coming after us if you value your kid's life."

He was visibly shaking, clearly fighting against the urge to hyperventilate.

Once Fenrir felt satisfied with the distance between them, he turned around, quickly making his way through the still mostly deserted park. Remus pursued as quietly as possible, keeping a close eye on the man, ready to strike the moment Harry was no longer vulnerable.

They made it all the way to the car park before the opportunity finally presented itself. Fenrir headed towards an old automobile with peeling paint, unlocking the car and throwing Harry unceremoniously into the backseat.

As soon as the door slammed shut, Remus jumped out, slamming his elbow into the back of Fenrir's neck, sending the much larger man stumbling. Remus threw open the door, yelling at Harry to run who obeyed without needing to be told twice.

"You bastard," Fenrir snarled as he rose to his full height, rubbing at his neck. While Remus knew his blow struck true, he clearly didn't put enough force in it, though based on the size of the man, he doubted he would be strong enough to take on this brute alone.

"Abducting a child is against the law," Remus said firmly, trying to hide any trace of trepidation from his voice. "I'm afraid I will have to arrest you, Mr. Greyback," he stated, flashing his badge.

"Oh, really?" he drawled, amusement lighting his wicked eyes. "Well, by all means, officer. Try to arrest me."

* * *

**Word Count 4501**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to update! I admittedly started playing video games again. It was unintentional – I thought, "Eh, I updated three days ago, my readers will be fine with two more days so I'll just play a bit today and get back to editing tomorrow." Well, turns out one day of playing games just didn't do it and next thing I knew it was February. So! I intend to not let myself play again until this story is complete because I apparently can't trust myself.
> 
> That being said, only one more chapter left! (I believe, anyway. I guess I'll let you know for sure once I finish the next chapter, haha.) Thank you for being patient with me so far. The moment we've all been waiting for comes up next! Yay!
> 
> Please let me know what you think so far! I love comments as much as Remus loves his chocolate. :)


	6. We Are Meant To Be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this took me much longer to write than I had hoped. Who knew that this scene would be extremely hard for me to write? Because it's taking me so long, I decided to split this chapter into two parts – so there will be one more chapter after this one. Surprise! I felt bad making you guys wait, so hopefully this scene tides you over while I work on the final stretch.

He was breathing, but the oxygen failed to do its job. No matter how fast he inhaled, his lungs were never satisfied. He knew he looked a right fool kneeling in the dirt, panting like a rabid dog, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Only one thing was clear in this moment, and that was that Sirius had royally messed up.

He knew the dangers of pursuing a case when he had Harry with him. He knew that Harry was prone to disobey orders to wait, his curiosity being just as prominent as his father's. Despite this, he had gone after Greyback without even stopping to think about the consequences, and now, poor sweet innocent Harry was going to have to suffer for it.

Best case scenario would be Orion and Walburga Black get ahold of him. They come up with a grand lie about how Sirius returned home to repent his ways, produced an heir before promptly dying, and raise Harry as their own. Harry would be subjected to the same harsh lessons Sirius was, quickly learning that concepts such as 'fun' and 'love' are not something he can expect from his new family. He would lose that joyful smile while he becomes molded into the perfect heir to the Black legacy, taking over the family's company once he comes of age.

Worst case scenario, it is discovered that Harry is not, in fact, Sirius' child. He is brought out for ransom and, despite the similar hair color, they realize he has no resemblance to anyone in the Black family. A quick DNA test* would be easy enough to perform, and when there are no similarities, they either dispose of him or sell him off to another country as a slave.

[* _Yes, I am aware that Sirius and James are cousins and therefore there would be some "Black DNA" in Harry, but for the sake of the story (and Sirius' mental breakdown), let's just say there isn't._ ]

As much as Sirius hated the idea of Harry being forced to grow up in his parent's house, he hated the idea of Harry being abused or killed more. He would never know what became of Harry either. That was worse.

True, in twelve years there may become rumors surfacing of the young boy becoming engaged as the next heir, but Sirius wasn't so sure he would live long enough to hear about it. Harry was the only thing Sirius was living for, and now he was gone. Without Harry, he had nothing. Sirius had stupidly let his best friend's child slip into enemy hands, and he was powerless to do anything about it. No one could take on the Black empire: especially not alone.

He gasped around a cough, trying to calm his spasming chest enough to get some of that much needed oxygen. His vision was going blurry and there was a distant ringing in his head. He could feel his body shaking terribly, but try as he might he couldn't get himself to stop. This was all too much. It was too much.

"Shh, shh, shh." Warm hands gently caressed both sides of his face as someone knelt in front of him. "Hush now, child. Everything will be alright."

Sirius winced slightly as he took in a shaky breath, his lungs finally remembering their role, and focused his eyes on the woman in front of him. She was an older woman with curly brown hair that framed her face gracefully, and her warm caramel colored eyes shone with compassion. He glanced over her shoulder, noticing the young boy Greyback had tried abducting hovering nearby, toeing the ground in a bored gesture. While Sirius was glad that he was able to help prevent the woman's child from being stolen, he couldn't help the indignant tears that formed in his eyes as he remembered the price he had to pay.

"You can't know that," he whispered, dropping his gaze down to focus on the knitted pink sweater she had tied around her waist. He was grateful his trembling had finally subsided and that he was finally able to breathe again, but the woman's words did little to comfort him. She didn't realize just w _ho_  had taken his godson and  _why_. She probably thought a regular police search would be enough to find him. It wasn't her fault she was naïve, but her words were empty.

"Yes I can," she insisted, nudging his chin with her index finger to coax him into resuming eye contact. "My son has already gone after that man. He's a police detective and he noticed the altercation, following as soon as that man started fleeing the scene. He'll get your boy back. I promise."

A soft bubble of hope began forming in his chest as he stared into her gentle eyes. She felt familiar, as if she was his own mother, and he found it tempting to give in to her optimism. "Your son?"

The woman nodded, a tender smile on her lips. "Yes, Remus is very good at his job. I'm certain he'll get your boy back."

Gray eyes widened as he connected the dots, realizing just who this woman was and why she was familiar. There was no way it was a coincidence. Not with such an obscure name like that. "Remus Lupin?"

"You know my son?" she asked, an odd combination of curiosity and amusement on her face.

He paused a moment before dropping his gaze once more. "Our paths have crossed."

Mrs. Lupin hummed. "I take it you two aren't on friendly terms?"

When Sirius didn't reply, she continued. "Would you mind telling me what happened between the two of you?"

He worried his lower lip as he looked up at her. "I'd rather not." Remus already had to deal with his best friend harassing him about rejecting his soulmate, and Sirius didn't want to put parental pressure on him as well. After all, if Mrs. Lupin began hounding him, Remus just might give in to the pressure. Sirius wanted Remus to want him on his own accord, not because his mother made him.

"I understand," she said with a gentle smile. "Remus had actually-"

"Pops!"

At the sound of that cry, a jolt of electricity shot through Sirius' body, forcing him to spin out of Mrs. Lupin's arms faster than should be humanly possible. About twenty paces away, Harry was pattering along the grass as fast as his little legs could carry him towards Sirius, his chubby arms outstretched.

"Harry!" Sirius nearly choked out, fresh tears of relief welling in his eyes. Standing would take too much time, so he awkwardly scampered forward on all-fours, nearly stumbling several times as the two of them drew nearer.

The second Harry was close enough, Sirius pulled him in tightly, wrapping him securely against his chest. He nuzzled his nose into the boy's wild-as-ever hair, breathing in his unique childish scent of dirt, leaves, and bologna. A scent he was fearful he would never smell again, never before realizing just how much he needed it. Sirius rubbed his back in soothing circles while placing a dozen kisses on his forehead between whispered apologies and promises to never let that happen again.

"I'm alright, pops," Harry mumbled against his chest once the hug had extended beyond the point of a child's patience. "I'm fine, see? That mean guy didn't hurt me again."

Sirius pulled back slightly, while still keeping Harry at a close proximity. Remembering the wound Greyback had inflicted, he examined Harry's neck, pleased to see it wasn't deep at all and had already begun to scab. Sirius kissed the skin above the wound with a proclamation that it was all better now, causing Harry to roll his emerald eyes.

Unbidden memories of Greyback's fighting methods flashed through Sirius' mind. Even against seasoned fighters, the man was definitely a tough opponent. While he'd never seen Remus fight before, he could only imagine just how difficult it would be for him to take down Greyback. He couldn't let Remus take the fall: especially after what he did for Harry. Steeling his resolve, Sirius stood up, walking back to where Mrs. Lupin was still hovering a few paces back, tugging Harry along with him.

"Mrs. Lupin, might I ask you to watch Harry for a few minutes?"

Her eyes widened marginally in surprise before she nodded. "Certainly, but what for?"

"I need to make sure Remus is alright," he said quickly before kneeling in front of Harry. "You stay with Mrs. Lupin, alright? Don't go wandering off again."

"Okay, pops," Harry replied, his tone conveying annoyance.

The other little boy, with tawny curls and hazel eyes, stepped up beside Harry and waved enthusiastically. "Hi, Harry. I'm Teddy. You wanna see my Pokémon cards?"

Harry shrugged, annoyance forgotten. "Sure!"

"I have a holographic Blastoise!"

"Ooh! Is it a limited edition, too?"

Sirius gave Hope a quick smile before dashing to the bush he had kicked his firearm into, scouring under the branches until his fingers found the gun. He pulled it out while only managing to get two scratches on his forearm and then ran in the direction of the parking lot he suspected Greyback had fled to. The lot on the northeast section was far less used than the western one and usually found more untoward activities.

Sure enough, as he neared the lot, he could make out the sounds of a scuffle. Once Sirius was through the greenery and found purchase on the cement, he saw Greyback had pinned Remus up against the side of a car that had the boot open. The larger man was attempting to tie a rope around Remus' arms, muttering about the good price a pretty boy like him could fetch.

Without bothering to announce his presence, Sirius fired two shots at Greyback. The first into his right shoulder blade, and the second in the back of his left calf. As Greyback flinched from the impact, a roar escaping his lips, Sirius rushed forward, twisting Greyback's right arm behind his back as he pressed him against the car, pushing the gun tip firmly into the underside of the man's chin.

"If you even bother trying to resist arrest," Sirius growled, his stormy eyes narrowed in hatred, "I will personally ensure my father is unable to rescue you from prison. After all, what purpose would he have of a corpse?"

Greyback snarled at Sirius in response but didn't resist as Remus cuffed him. Moments after he was bound, two squad cars pulled up, stopping on either side of the beat up car.

Remus rolled his eyes as he marched Greyback towards Alice who had just opened up the back door. "Better late than never I suppose."

"Sorry," Alice replied sheepishly as she closed the door behind Greyback. "We got waylaid by a drunk driver."

"Really? A drunk driver on a Thursday morning?"

"That's what I said," the other officer, a shorter man with ebony skin and thick curly hair quipped, a lopsided grin on his face.

Sirius and Remus both recorded their statements separately to each officer, Sirius ensuring to tell Officer Thomas about other illicit activities he was aware Greyback had participated in, with particular influence on his hit man position amongst his father's ranks.

Remus was finishing up with Alice as Officer Thomas called a towing service to impound Greyback's vehicle. Seeing that he was no longer necessary, Sirius turned around, making his way back to where he had left Harry with Mrs. Lupin. There had been far too much drama for his liking before noon, and Sirius was ready to call this a day. He doubted that McGonagall would be terribly upset if he chose not to go in to work; certainly having your godson abducted was a good enough excuse.

He took a deep breath, the cool air chilling his throat as it went down in a calming way. This park had always been a quiet sanctuary for Sirius, bringing back fond memories of youthful summers with his best friend. He and James would spend hours goofing off when they were younger. They climbed trees, hid in bushes, jumped off oversized rocks, and occasionally used the playground equipment like normal children. He hoped that today wouldn't sully those memories, grateful that this altercation at least had a happy ending.

"Sirius, hold on."

He was about halfway to his destination when he felt a warm hand slip around his wrist, tugging him back gently. Sirius turned around to see Remus standing there, a hesitant expression on his face. His pride tempted him to shove Remus' hand away and storm back to collect his godson and leave, but the sorrow showing in those amber eyes nulled any intent he had to listen to his pride. Damn, he was so weak.

"What is it, Remus?" he asked, voice tired.

"I – um," Remus paused, biting his lip as he processed what he wanted to say. "I'm sorry."

Sirius dropped his gaze, focusing on the hand that was still wrapped around his wrist.

"I was a real arse, Sirius. I shouldn't have said all that to you, and I'm really sorry."

He shook his head. "I don't need an apology."

"Regardless, I owe it to you." A fiery determination was evident in his amber eyes as he tightened his grip ever so slightly. "You are my soulmate and I treated you horribly. I was completely out of line, and I am so, so sorry."

Sirius took in a deep breath, closing his eyes for a long moment as he dug up the argument he had convinced himself was true over the past couple weeks. "We aren't soulmates, Remus."

Remus paused, his mouth forming a perfect 'o'. "What – what do you mean we aren't soulmates? Of course we are." He shook his head in disbelief, tawny locks swaying. "We have the right words."

"It isn't unheard of for multiple couples to have the same words," he countered. "It's rare, but it does happen."

"But that isn't the case with us! We _are_ soulmates, Sirius. How can you say we're not?"

"You've seen soulmates meet, haven't you?" He pinched his brows together as he tilted his head to the side in a questioning gesture. "You've seen their relationship grow, yes?"

"Well, of course-"

"So then you know that it is always love at first sight," Sirius stated. "When they meet, there is an immediate connection. A closeness that doesn't happen with anyone else. Even if they aren't romantically available at the time, they accept each other and want to know one another immediately."

"That's-"

"They don't push each other away," he continued as if Remus hadn't spoken. "They don't run from their soulmate, avoid their soulmate, or accuse their soulmate of crimes they never committed."

"Sirius," Remus whispered, rubbing circles onto Sirius' wrist with the pad of his thumb. "Sirius, I made a mistake. I was wrong. Please-"

He shook his head, trying to will himself to remain strong despite the tears that wanted to fall and his wall that begged to crumble. This is the answer he came up with and he needed to stick to it. As foolish as he knew he was being, at least the idea that they had the same words as another couple meant that he hadn't been rejected by his soulmate, and his heart wasn't ready for any more rejection. "It's fine. I've accepted it. We just need to move on from here. Put this whole mess behind us and wait until we meet our true soulmates."

"But  _you_  are my true soulmate, Sirius."

Remus never gave him a chance to reply. Without hesitation, he leaned forward, pressing their lips together in a tender kiss. Sirius brought his free hand up to Remus' chest to push the taller man off, but as long fingers entwined themselves into his black tresses, all arguments rapidly evaporated from his mind. How could anyone's fingers feel this good? They stroked and scratched with just the right pressure, sending pleasant tingles down Sirius' spine. He was certain he would die if Remus ever stopped playing with his hair.

Sirius grabbed a fistful of Remus' incredibly soft dark red cardigan as he pulled the man closer, moving his lips in tandem with Remus'. The kiss was gentle but filled with magic, communicating unspoken promises between them. The hand that had been grabbing Sirius' wrist slowly slid up his arm, firmly squeezing his shoulder as Sirius wrapped his other arm around Remus' waist, pulling him closer so only a few inches separated their bodies.

Remus broke the kiss first, resting their foreheads together as he stared affectionately into Sirius' eyes. Sirius maintained eye contact, working hard to get his rapid breathing under control.

"You can't tell me that didn't feel right to you." Remus nuzzled his nose lightly. "We are meant to be together, Sirius."

Sirius licked his lips, savoring the taste of Remus' raspberry lip balm that had rubbed onto his own mouth. "Is this real?" he whispered, his mind insisting that he had somehow fallen asleep during their conversation.

Remus chuckled softly before kissing the corners Sirius' mouth. "This is very real. I want to be with you, if you'll still have me."

Oh, how much Sirius wanted to be with him. There were no words to express his need for the other man. Throwing caution to the wind, he chose to believe Remus' words and pulled him back in for another kiss. If he thought the first kiss was good, their second one was awesome. All of Sirius' insecurities fluttered away, allowing him to melt into Remus' arms as Remus held him close.

Remus' lips felt better than anything Sirius had ever experienced before, and the odd combination of raspberry and chocolate croissant breath was strangely intoxicating. He shifted his head to the other side, nuzzling Remus' nose as they changed angles. In this moment he knew that kissing Remus was something he could never tire from. Those slender fingers were working circles along his scalp, no doubt completely messing up his hair, and Remus' other hand had somehow found it's way under Sirius' jacket, grasping at the thin t-shirt material underneath.

Sirius trailed his hand up Remus' chest before wrapping it around the back of his neck, lightly toying with the soft tawny curls at the base of his scalp. He heard a moan but, if asked, he couldn't tell which of them it came from. His mind was swirling in a thick fog of euphoria. Just remembering to pull apart for breath every few minutes was hard enough. He never wanted this moment to end.

After what felt like both an eternity and only a few seconds, Remus pulled away causing an involuntary whimper to escape Sirius' mouth. With a breathy chuckle, Remus placed a peck on Sirius' swollen lower lip before bringing their foreheads together again. Their noses pressed gently together and Remus closed his eyes, a smile seemingly permanently affixed to his face.

From this close, it was easy to make out just how many adorable freckles covered Remus' face. They weren't much darker than his skin, but they were numerous, and Sirius wondered if he could find constellations if he searched hard enough. There was a deep flush that spread from Remus' cheeks to below the collar of his cardigan, and he was pleased to see that Remus was just as out of breath as he was. Sirius brought his hand towards the side of Remus' neck, gently stroking his skin. There was a rapid thrumming below his thumb that showed just how fast Remus' heart was beating.

A polite cough brought the two men back to reality. Remus opened his eyes and took a single step back, retracting the hand that had been in Sirius' hair much to Sirius' dismay. Remus kept his other arm wrapped around Sirius, albeit dropping his hand to a more appropriate waist level, as he turned towards the newcomers.

Mrs. Lupin had a knowing smile as she approached, ushering the youngsters in front of her. "It's good to see you two have made up."

Remus' blush increased as he ducked his head shyly.

Harry looked between Remus and Sirius with his curious green eyes. "Is he going to be my new dad?" he asked pointing towards the brown haired man.

Teddy's hazel eyes widened in delight. "Does that mean that Harry gets to be my brother? Are you two really going to get married?"

" _Teddy!_ " Remus scolded lightly. "What did I tell you about asking inappropriate questions?"

"Sorry, daddy."

Mrs. Lupin gracefully redirected the conversation out of the hands of five-year-olds by offering to take the two boys to her home for a sleepover, much to Harry and Teddy's delight. While hesitant, Sirius agreed, feeling he could trust Mrs. Lupin with his godson. She was his soulmate's mother after all, so she couldn't be too bad. Mrs. Lupin insisted the boys would be fine, urging Remus and Sirius to talk, saying they needed to spend some time alone together: especially after what they had endured today.

They waved goodbye to the car as Mrs. Lupin drove away. Once the taillights disappeared, Remus turned to look at Sirius, a soft smile still on his face. "So, mine or yours?"

Sirius' eyes widened in surprise. "W-what?"

"Should we go to mine or yours? You know, to talk?" Remus furrowed his eyebrows, munching on the inside of his lip. "I don't mean to imply that we're going to have sex. I guess I realize that did come off that way. Would you, um, feel more comfortable at a café then? Maybe grab some lunch?"

It was now Sirius' turn to blush. He admittedly  _had_ thought Remus was propositioning him. While Sirius knew that this was the man he was meant to be with, after one makeup session and five weeks of avoiding each other, he didn't feel like they were yet ready for that kind of commitment. It would feel amazing, he was sure, but his heart wasn't yet ready for that level of intimacy. If this did turn out to be a one-off, the memory of a single great night would make it ache all the more.

"Are you hungry?" Remus hedged when Sirius didn't reply.

He shook his head. "Tea would be nice though." Sirius was more keen on being somewhere private as opposed to something public like a café, but he was hesitant to invite Remus into his home. Just in case. "How about yours? You lead the way and I'll follow on my bike?"

Remus nodded, his smile brightening once more. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

**Word** **Count:** **3789**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's the end of chapter 6. There will be one more chapter after this, which hopefully won't be as taxing on me as this chapter was. Although, as a forewarning, I have family coming in this Friday so I won't really be able to start working again until Monday, so please bare with me. But on the bright side, you got to see the two of them finally get together! Huzzah for puppy love!


	7. Dreams Do Come True

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, I'm a mean person. I'm sorry for making you all wait so long for the final chapter! I would give you a whole sob-story about what took me so long, but it would only be partially true – I mostly just wasn't in the mood to write, which I know can happen, but that was just horrendous timing. Hopefully you weren't too cliff-hangery – I did try to make the previous chapter an easy wait chapter because I thought it would take me a bit. I promise I didn't anticipate nearly three months though. In any case, I hope this is a nice conclusion for a story that was really not supposed to be that long. Thank you for sticking with me through the end!

The Lupin cottage was cozy in every sense of the word. With warm maple hardwood flooring, burgundy armchairs encircling a stone fireplace, and thick crushed velvet curtains, the home easily provided the desire to curl up with a good book. At twelve in the afternoon, the air still held the tantalizing scent of maple sausage that had been served with breakfast that morning. A leather jacket and cranberry cardigan lay side-by-side on the arm of an oversized couch, and two sets of shoes were neatly set by the front door.

Little more than an hour after leaving the park, two half-empty teacups sat cold and abandoned on the dining table. One with far too much sugar, leaving a thick coating of the sweet substance visible on the bottom, and the other with a soft film of milk skin forming at the top. Neither of the two men had intended on straying from their drinks, but as these things tend to happen, they quickly found themselves tumbling into Remus' bedroom.

Remus had lost track of how long they had been snogging, ruffling up each other's hair and clothing. The taste of Sirius was far too irresistible for Remus, showing him just how easily he could grow dependent on the shorter man. He tasted spicy and sweet with a hint of tobacco, and his skin smelt of leather, motor oil, and gun powder. He was dangerous and alluring. As addicting as a drug, and Remus was most definitely falling under his influence.

As their enthusiastic kissing and teasing turned into heavy petting, Remus pulled Sirius onto the bed with him, rolling them over so he was straddling Sirius. He kissed along Sirius' jawline, dragging his mouth down his neck, and nipping at the soft flesh there. The soft whimpers that escaped Sirius' mouth only caused Remus to want to hear more. Everything about this man was just so perfect, and he really wanted to overdose on Sirius.

They made short work of removing their shirts, tossing them carelessly just off the edge of the bed. Remus took a moment to marvel at his soulmate's perfect chest. Sirius' muscles were firm and defined, but not overwhelmingly bulging, and he had abs like a surfer with a line of soft black hair leading from his navel to a treasure below. He looked at Sirius' face noticing his eyes hungrily roaming Remus' torso.

"You're beautiful," Sirius whispered, his voice thick with lust.

Remus smiled, shaking his head. If any of them were beautiful, it was this Adonis spread before him. He leaned back down, trailing open-mouth kisses down Sirius' chest, causing the other man to moan and lean into his touch. The sounds he made were enough to drive Remus crazy. He felt as if everything about Sirius was specifically designed to allure to Remus' senses. The way his soft hair tangled so easily in his fingers, the way the other man sought out Remus' touch, the gentleness those strong hands showed as they brushed along Remus' back with feather-like delicacy. Everything about him was just so perfect, and Remus wanted to experience all of this perfection. Suddenly the idea of waiting to go all the way seemed like such an idiotic idea.

Remus captured Sirius' mouth again, tugging on his lower lip as he pulled away and causing another gasp. Did Sirius even know how to not be provocative? Remus wasn't sure he could resist much of anything if Sirius kept that sound up. "I want you Sirius." He hoped that his forwardness wouldn't scare him away, but he couldn't deny the longing that was growing in his libido.

Sirius licked his lips as he gazed up into Remus' amber eyes, his breath coming in quick puffs. "You do?"

Remus nodded. "Very much so." He punctuated his point by running his tongue along the rim of Sirius' ear, causing the other man to shudder.

"I don't think I'll be able to say no if you keep that up," he whispered, his hand coming up to cup Remus' cheek.

He pulled back so he could look Sirius in the eye. "You're alright with us going further?" Remus trailed an idle finger along his torso, following the various lines formed by his muscles. "I don't want to push you if you're not ready."

Sirius hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering between Remus' hand that was steadily gliding lower and his amber eyes. "I – yes. We can go as far as you'd like."

While his voice was steady, Remus didn't miss the uncertainty that flashed in Sirius' eyes. "Are you sure?" He moved his hand so it was resting in a more neutral territory than the hem of Sirius' trousers.

He took a deep breath as he debated his response, narrowing his gaze ever so slightly. "I'm sure that I want to be with you Remus, it's just that I've never done this before. Admittedly I'm a bit – nervous? You know, blushing bride and all that."

Remus gave a small smile, easily understanding Sirius' concerns. "I've never been with a man either, but I'm sure we can figure it out. We are grown men after all."

Sirius chewed on his lower lip, eyebrows pursed together. "No, I mean that I've never had sex before. With anyone." A soft blush formed on his high cheekbones upon the admission.

"Oh," Remus replied, eyes widening upon the realization. "Oh."

Sirius offered a nervous smile.

"So then -" Remus paused, his mind trying to grasp the reality of what Sirius said. He rolled off, settling next to Sirius and propping himself up onto his elbow. "Wait, but that doesn't make sense."

Frowning slightly from the loss of contact, Sirius sat up. "What doesn't make sense? That I'm a twenty-six-year-old virgin?"

"No. I mean, well, kinda. Just look at you. It's hard to believe that someone as good looking as you was never snatched up."

He gave a soft chuckle. "There were plenty of offers, but I wanted to wait for you." Sirius traced Remus' hairline with his index finger, causing a tingle to spur through Remus' body. "I didn't see the point in getting attached to someone that wasn't my soulmate. I knew I would leave that person the moment you entered my life anyway."

Embarrassment flooded his chest. He had never regretted opening himself up to Nymphadora, but now that he heard about Sirius' insistence on waiting for him, he suddenly wished he could go back in time and stop his younger self. "I'm sorry I-"

"There's no need to apologize," Sirius interrupted, placing a quick peck onto his cheek. "Waiting was my own decision, and I don't mind that you found someone else in between. Besides, if you hadn't been with that woman, you wouldn't have that adorable son of yours."

The niggling in his brain finally resurfaced, bringing the question he had meant to ask to the forefront again. "You said you've haven't been intimate before, but how can you have a son if you've never slept with anyone?"

Sirius' gray eyes widened in surprise. "Harry?"

"Yes, Harry. He is your son, isn't he?" Remus didn't know why Sirius would try telling him he was a virgin when he so obviously wasn't, but he needed to make sure Sirius knew right away that Remus wouldn't stand for lying. Even if he was only intending to give Remus the illusion of virginity, liars were something Remus hated the most.

Sirius dropped his gaze as he scooted back enough to rest his shoulders on the headboard and brought his legs somewhat close to his body. He draped his right arm over his knee, while his left hand dutifully traced odd patterns on Remus' forearm. "Harry isn't my child; he's my godson."

Remus licked his lips as he followed Sirius' lead, adjusting into a more comfortable sitting position. It was clear from Sirius' body language that the mood had already changed drastically. "He's your godson," he parroted. "He calls you 'pops' though."

He nodded. "It's easier that way. Less questions get asked if everyone assumes he's my son."

"What happened to his parents?" Remus asked quietly.

Sirius took in a deep breath as he finally brought his eyes back up to meet Remus'. The grief that Remus saw there was enough to tug at his heart, causing an uncomfortable jerking feeling. It was clear from that expression alone that he cared deeply for the boy's biological family.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he amended. Remus ran his hand up and down Sirius' left arm, inwardly smiling at the way it looked as if he was petting the large black dog that resided there.

"His parent's names were James and Lily Potter."

Remus paused his stroking as memories came flooding back to him. The case of the Potter murder was one of the first he was assigned after moving from Wales, and to this day he could still remember the grizzly scene before him. They weren't just killed; they were made an example of. It was clear from the wounds inflicted that they had been tortured before finally having their throats slit. Cryptic warnings had been painted on the walls in their blood as well. While it had been left a cold case, never being able to find just who killed them, there were whispers of it being done by a dark and powerful organization. An organization like the Death Eaters.

"James was more like family to me than anyone else. He was my brother in everything but blood." Sirius took in a deep breath, a dullness fogging his gray eyes. "When we first joined The Order, we formed a sort of gang, for lack of a better word, amongst the three of us; James, myself, and Peter Pettigrew, a childhood friend of James. We called ourselves 'Marauders'," he gestured to the ink letters that had been etched onto his right arm years ago with a weak smile on his face. Clearly the nostalgic fondness warred with the pain of loss in his mind.

"We were still new to The Order," he continued, "but when James heard all the shite my family was up to, he thought that we should try to put them in their place. After all, I had an in depth knowledge of the whereabouts and identities of several prominent members, so why not put that information to good use?"

"So you three made it your personal agenda to try taking on the Black Family?"

"Exactly," Sirius nodded. "We were good at it, too. For a while there, we really had those scum bags sweating. The three of us were a force to be reckoned with. James was a very devout leader, ready to charge in without fear; much like a stag." Sirius glanced towards his right shoulder, drawing Remus' attention back towards the large stag standing proud with a rat nestled between its antlers. "Peter was exceptional at gathering wisdom, easily going unnoticed in a crowd and able to gain access to almost any room."

"Like a rat?" Remus guessed.

Sirius barred his teeth seemingly involuntarily, a snarl to his voice as he replied, "Yes, exactly like a rat."

Remus gnawed on his lip. "I'm guessing that the doe and fawn represent Lily and Harry, then?"

That seemed to bring Sirius back and he nodded firmly. "Yes. I had them added after-" He chewed his lower lip, fixing his eyes on the mussed up comforter below them.

He reached forward, squeezing Sirius' hand gently. Remus wouldn't be able to take the pain away, but he could at least be there for his soulmate.

Sirius offered him a small smile. "James said that I reminded him of a mangy mutt," he said with a soft chuckle, shifting his left shoulder to draw Remus' attention to the large black dog that sprawled there. "I suppose it's fitting since Sirius is the dog star."

"I can see that, actually. You really are a big puppy."

He scoffed playfully, nudging Remus' arm in mock offense. "Well, as you can imagine, my family didn't take it very well when we started tearing apart their operations."

He nodded along, already knowing where this story was going. How could he not? He had seen the end result, and even if he hadn't, the Black Family was known for their violence. The thought of three twenty-somethings taking on a large organization like that was simply too foolish. Even if they did work for The Order of the Phoenix, they were still outnumbered.

"We weren't caught, if that's what you're thinking," Sirius said, clearly noticing the grave expression on Remus' face. "No, we were far too clever for that. The three of us were great with hiding in the shadows, and with Peter's ear to the ground, we always caught wind of any oncoming threat. We had a vast amount of fake identities and safe houses we could rotate through. There was no way we should have been found out."

"So then, what went wrong?"

He took a deep breath, eyes shuttering closed for a long moment. "We trusted Peter."

Something clenched in Remus' stomach, an unpleasant coiling sensation settling there.

"We knew Peter was attracted to power and money, but we foolishly thought the two of us would be enough for him. We kept him safe, made sure he was included in every mission we took on. He had an ample supply of income, and the three of us were quickly climbing up in rank faster than most could ever dream of doing. We thought he had no reason to stray."

Sirius paused, taking another calming breath before continuing. "Of course, our money and power could not compete with Orion Black's. A man named Tom Riddle approached Peter, giving him an offer he  _should_  have refused, and Peter traded information on the Potter's for a prominent position among the Death Eaters."

Remus narrowed his eyes, both in anger and curiosity. He knew the Black Family and the Death Eaters were both powerful enterprises, but he didn't realize they were connected.

"The morning before they were murdered, Peter had approached me with two tickets to the zoo, suggesting I take Harry out for the day." He shook his head, obviously feeling embarrassed by the foolishness of his past self. "He said he won them in a contest, and I didn't even bother questioning him."

"At least Harry was kept safe though," Remus tried. "Even though he turned out to be a traitor, he protected the child."

"It doesn't excuse the betrayal though. Because of that bastard, James and Lily were killed."

Remus stayed silent, waiting for Sirius to continue. After what felt like several minutes, he began wondering if he was finished, before Sirius finally drew in another breath.

"I knew something was wrong the moment I pulled up on the street in front of their home. The atmosphere was heavy with evil. I quickly called Dumbledore, the leader of our order, and had him meet me there. He showed up with several other members, and I thankfully left Harry with McGonagall before heading inside. He was only two at the time, but I wouldn't have wanted him to see that. It was so awful."

"Yes," Remus agreed, once again remembering all that blood and pain that was thick in the air.

"I felt like I was dying when I saw them," he choked, an errant tear falling from his left eye. "They didn't deserve that. Especially Lily. She was so sweet and kind. She was a preschool teacher. She had nothing to do with what we were doing."

Remus shifted closer, wrapping an arm around Sirius' waist and urging Sirius to rest his head against his shoulder. Sirius rubbed his face against his skin, his stubble scratching Remus' chest. Remus brought his free hand into Sirius' black hair, rubbing his fingers into his scalp soothingly.

"There were warnings written on the walls, telling me to stop what I was doing or Harry would be next," he whispered.

He took in a shaky breath, as he realized that Sirius clearly understood that cryptic message. He was tempted to ask for more information, but knew better than to pry. It had to be hard enough for Sirius to relive this much. Remus planted a kiss on the top of Sirius' head as he breathed in the scent of the other man's citrusy shampoo.

He let out a choked sob as he nuzzled closer to Remus. "I wanted revenge – still want revenge – but how can I put Harry in danger like that? I owe it to James and Lily to keep him safe. They trusted me with his life, and as much as I would love to make whoever killed them pay, I can't be reckless anymore."

Remus stayed silent, continuing to stroke Sirius affectionately and allowing the other man to lean on him. Sirius didn't need advice, he just needed comfort. While he couldn't understand what it was like to have your best friend murdered, he was able to at least offer a shoulder to cry on.

"I'd thought about having that stupid rat tattoo removed," Sirius said quietly after a long silence had passed. "Have it turned into a flower or something less disgusting, you know? But I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to alter it."

"Why not?"

"It's a good reminder to be careful whom I trust."

Remus furrowed his eyebrows, his right hand idly toying with the soft hairs on Sirius' neck.

"Peter was James' closest friend when they were younger; the two of them practically grew up together. Yet that worm went and had him killed anyway. How can someone do that? Why did he do it?"

Remus let out a soft breath. "It's hard to understand what causes someone's heart to turn to darkness sometimes. I'm sure he had his reasons, even if they weren't the right ones."

Sirius pulled away from Remus just enough so he could look at the other man's face. "I'm sorry I ruined our night with all my drama," he said wryly, his face slightly flushed with embarrassment.

A quiet laugh escaped Remus' lips as he shook his head gently, placing a kiss on his temple. "You have nothing to apologize for, Sirius."

He snuggled further into the pillows with an uncertain look on his face.

Grasping at a distraction for his soulmate, Remus reached into his bedside table drawer, pulling out a remote. "How about you find something for us to watch on the television while I order us some takeaway?"

Relief flooded Sirius' face as a smile played at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, that sounds nice."

Remus placed a chaste kiss on Sirius' lips before hopping off the bed. "I'll be back in a minute. Is there anything in particular you'd like?"

"Surprise me," he answered, his normal confident demeanor returning much to Remus' delight.

The evening passed in amiable companionship, filled with ample cuddling, Korean barbeque, and romantic comedies. While there weren't any more heavy conversations, the two men felt a strong bond form between them that night, and Remus had never been happier he decided to give Sirius a chance after all. He had been foolish to reject his soulmate all those weeks ago and he knew he had a lot of heartache to make up for, but, from here on out, Remus swore that he would do everything in his power to be the perfect companion for Sirius. After all, that is exactly what a soulmate is meant to be.

* * *

 As a soft glow permeated the bedroom curtains, pleasant bird call roused Sirius from a rather fascinating dream. He was a pirate captain in charge of a massive fleet of flying ships. The world both feared and revered his name, none daring to oppose his mighty power, yet all loving him the same. As he blinked himself awake, he rolled over to pull out the dream diary he kept in the nightstand drawer, pausing just as his hand grasped the cool leather.

He took a deep breath, belatedly realizing the wondrous scents of bacon and maple syrup had wafted into the bedroom. While the dream had been fun and he would love to have it recorded, he could not deny the now fervent rumbling in his stomach. Truly no man could resist bacon after all.

Sirius slipped from the bed covers, breathing a sigh of relief as the cold tile chilled his sleep-warm feet. With an over-exaggerated yawn he threw his white robe on, tying it closed around his waist. He was certain his hair was a mess, but he was the only one in this house that would find that offensive, so he forced himself out of the bedroom door without brushing first.

He followed his nose towards the kitchen until being forcefully halted by two eight-year-old boys in the dining room as they jumped onto him simultaneously, nearly knocking Sirius onto his rear.

"Pops! You're up!"

"Good morning, pa!"

Sirius gave a jovial groan as he coaxed the two boys back onto their own feet. "You're getting too heavy for that," he laughed. "I'm not as young as I used to be."

"Oh, you're still plenty young," Remus replied as he smirked from the doorway, a tray of breakfast food in his hands. "Teddy, Harry, go wash up for breakfast."

The boys chorused their assent before scampering past Remus into the kitchen, racing for the sink.

"I was beginning to think you were going to sleep forever," Remus mused as he set the tray down and began pouring tea into four teacups.

"You know I need my beauty sleep," he grinned. "You don't get this good-looking without extra rest."

Remus laughed, shaking his head before kissing Sirius on the cheek. "Yes, you are definitely a sleeping beauty."

"And you're my prince charming," he cooed as he wrapped his arms around Remus' waist, nuzzling his neck with his nose.

"Eww! Gross!" Harry exclaimed, scrunching his nose in mock-distaste.

"Yeah, get a room!" Teddy agreed as he plopped into his seat with all the grace of a blind chicken.

Sirius maturely stuck his tongue out at the boys as he took his seat. He reached towards the milk when a firm 'ahem' and eyebrow raise brought his gaze back towards his husband.

"Sirius, you know the rules. You need to wash up before breakfast."

Sirius sputtered. "I'm a grown man; do you really think I didn't wash up? I'm not eight like those two!"

Remus turned his gaze onto their sons. "Boys, did you see your father wash his hands?"

"No, daddy," they chorused with big innocent eyes.

"How do you know I didn't wash my hands before I came down?" Sirius defended.

"Who wants to sniff his hands?" Remus asked the two boys.

"I'll do it!" Harry exclaimed, his hand shooting into the air like a rocket.

Sirius groaned as he noisily slid his chair back. "Fine! I'll go wash up." He noisily shuffled into the kitchen, muttering about Remus not being his mother and the boys being just as bad as a nosy brother.

As he lathered the soap onto his hands, he couldn't help but smile in his irritation. This domestic bliss was something he had always thought would never be attainable. Never in his wildest dreams did he believe he could find someone as perfect as Remus. He never thought he could have a family like this with someone. Being able to marry the man he loves and raising two young boys with him was the most perfect picture in his world.

It was hard to believe that they had met three years ago, and that the start of their relationship had been extremely rocky. It all seemed like a hazy memory now, overshadowed by excitement and joy. Going on their first real date to the theatre, crying as they kissed the boys goodbye on their first day at primary school, their anniversary dinner when Remus proposed, their small beach wedding, and the honeymoon phase that never seemed to end.

Even though there would always be moments of irritation and arguments, he knew that there was nothing that could break the two of them apart. He had truly found the counter-part of his soul in Remus, and he wouldn't trade that for anything. Even if he was forced to wash his hands before breakfast.

* * *

**  
Word Count: 4125**


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